LAUSR

Timely identification and high-quality intervention play significant roles in preventing the occurrence and remediating the severity of chronic functional impairment for children with disabilities. The current study recruited 1129 caregivers of children with disabilities from rural and urban areas of China in a survey study aimed to understand how children and families access early intervention. Findings indicated: a) concerns about a child's development were first raised, usually by the parents, when the child was 26 months of age; b) developmental screening typically took place four months after the concerns were first raised, diagnostic evaluation typically happened seven months after; c) the types of early intervention program varied across urban and rural areas; e) child and family factors were found associating with the child's age at screening and diagnosis. Implications are provided for practitioners, policy makers, and future research.