The Battelle Developmental Inventory is an assessment for infants and children through age seven. It is a flexible, semi-structured assessment that involves observation of the child, interviews with parents and caregivers, developmental and social history, and interaction with the child using game-like materials, toys, questionnaires, and tasks.
The Battelle Developmental Inventory is one type of assessment commonly used to determine if infants and children are meeting developmental milestoneson target or may be showing early signs of learning disabilities or developmental delays.
The Battelle can be used to assess infant development through examiner/child and parent/child interaction. Examiners observe the child's responses and scores them based on standardized criteria. Parent and caregiver input is an important part of the assessment process in gathering information on the child's history and interactions and development taking place beyond the testing session.
When the Battelle is used to assess toddler through preschool development, most assessment tasks involve the examiner interacting with the child using toys, games, and tasks. Examiners observe the child's ability to follow instructions, interact with others, and perform tasks. Parent information is also used to assess areas that cannot be observed during a testing session. As children perform tasks and respond to the examiner's prompts, their performance is scored based on standardized criteria.
The Battelle assesses five domains of development. Adaptive behavior, personal / social skills, communication including expressive and receptive language, gross and fine motor ability, and cognitive skills are included. Assessment results can be used to determine if there are delays, and how significant they are compared to the child's age group.
