INFANT SCREENING - THE USEFULNESS OF THE BAYLEY INFANT NEURODEVELOPMENTAL SCREENER AND THE CLINICAL ADAPTIVE TEST CLINICAL LINGUISTIC AUDITORY MILESTONE SCALE

We assessed the usefulness of the Bayley infant Neurodevelopmental Scr eener (BINS) and the Clinical Adaptive Test/Clinical Linguistic Audito ry Milestone Scale (CAT/CLAMS) for screening high-risk infant populati ons in a sample of 78 infants followed after premature birth and/or pe rinatal insults. Both measures were highly correlated with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-ii, but sensitivity and specificity analy ses revealed disparities related to the tests administered and the cut offs used. The BINS had optimal sensitivity (true positives) of 90% wh en referral was made for a BINS score of high or moderate. The CAT/CLA MS had excellent specificity (true negatives) of 95% to 98% but poor s ensitivity (5%-36%). Until the cutoff issue can be clarified, clinicia ns should be cautious in using the CAT/CLAMS as the primary screening instrument in settings in which early identification of infants with d evelopmental problems is the main goal.