DDST meaning in Community ?

The Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST) was introduced in 1967 to identify young children, up to age six, with developmental problems. A revised version, Denver II, was released in 1992 to provide needed improvements. These screening tests provide information about a range of ages during which normally developing children acquire certain abilities and skills. By comparing a child’s development to the developmental age ranges in this tool, it allows providers to identify young children with developmental problems so that they can be referred for help.

The tests address four domains of child development: personal-social (for example, waves bye-bye), fine motor and adaptive (puts block in cup), language (combines words), and gross motor (hops). They are meant to be used by medical assistants or other trained workers in programs serving children. Both tests differ from other common developmental screening tests in that the examiner directly tests the child. This is a strength if parents communicate poorly or are poor observers or reporters. Other tools, for example the Age and Stages Questionnaires, depend on parent report.

As of 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends developmental and behavioral screening for all children during regular well-child visits at 9, 18, and 30 months of age. The AAP also recommends screening children for autism spectrum disorder during well-child visits at 18 and 24 months of age. However, the AAP does not approve nor endorse any specific tool for screening purposes, but rather endorses the use of any formal, validated screening tool, such as the Ages and Stages Questionnaire or others provided by the US Human Health and Services Department.