Occupational therapy's role in promoting the “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” developmental monitoring program to public health employees

TL;DR

Occupational therapists can help public health workers identify early childhood delays by teaching them about developmental monitoring through an online course.

Contribution

This study shows that online education by occupational therapists effectively improves public health employees' knowledge of developmental monitoring.

Findings

Significant improvements were found in all 12 key learning outcomes after the online training.

Six outcomes showed large effect sizes, indicating substantial knowledge gains among participants.

The online course effectively educated professionals on developmental monitoring and parental engagement activities.

Abstract

Occupational therapists can play a key role in early identification of delay at the population health level by providing education to public health employees on how to implement developmental monitoring with caregivers of children birth to age 5.

A pretest posttest design was utilized to assess the online education and training that was provided to Department of Public Health employees (N = 339), including Head Start, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, Home Visiting, and Early Intervention.

Analysis of pretest‐posttest survey data showed significant results for all 12 key learning outcomes. Six out of 12 outcomes were found to have a large effect size (d > 0.8), 4 outcomes indicated a medium effect size (d > 0.5), and 2 outcomes had a small effect size (d > 0.2). Participants gained knowledge of the “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” (LTSAE) developmental monitoring program, the difference between developmental monitoring and screening, the state's referral system and age‐appropriate parental engagement activities through knowledge of child development.

Occupational therapists are child development specialists who can provide education on developmental monitoring and activities for parental engagement. The online course proved to be an effective platform to promote LTSAE within state agencies.

Occupational therapists can play a key role in early identification of delay at the population health level. This study evaluated the efficacy of providing online education to professionals (N = 339) working with children birth to 5 from Head Start, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, Home Visiting, and Early Intervention on the implementation of the “Learn the Sign. Act Early.” developmental monitoring program.

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