ABLE: Pre-K Screening for Mental Health Impact on Academic Performance

Learning disabilities arise from a variety of origins. For some children, the complication may be associated with emotional or psychological complications while for others, the learning disability may have arisen out of neurological or physical complications.

In an effort to improve the identification of children at-risk for learning disabilities, some school districts are now utilizing a pre-screening tool in children as young as four who are attention Pre-K. Known as the ABLE screening test, children are examined for attention, behavior, language and emotional complications.

With ABLE screening assessments, the accuracy for first recognizing an emotional, physical or learning disability is within five percent of what parents and healthcare professionals confirm. In fact, the use of the ABLE screening is so successful that many school districts are considering implementation of the program on a permanent basis.

Through confirmation of an emotional or physical complication, with ABLE screening, schools can provide additional attention and services to children who are considered to be at-risk for learning disabilities. Because Pre-K programs are designed to enhance a child's preparation for kindergarten, the ABLE testing provides educators with a unique opportunity to tailor the Pre-K program to the needs of the students.

With autism and ADHD considered to be two of the leading child development complications under scrutiny today, many Pre-K screening experts are utilizing the ABLE screening program as a way to identify children who may be at risk for these complications. Because these disorders are commonly misdiagnosed, or diagnosed later in grade school, the need for ABLE screening may prove to be most effective when looking at the early diagnosis of these complications.