The impact of the home environment on children's development: Clinical relevance for the pediatrician

Pediatricians utilize standardized screening techniques to monitor children's development. Typically, however, pediatricians fail to assess the quality of the child's home environment. This paper selectively reviews the literature which demonstrates the major impact of the environment on children's development in the three developmental high-risk categories. Specific aspects of the home environment which optimize or impede developmental progression are discussed. Finally, the various instruments which are available to screen the home environment are presented. Information regarding the environment increases accuracy of developmental predictions, facilitates more appropriate treatment plans, and serves as a basis for specific counseling. The optimal clinical instrument for screening the child's social and inanimate environment has not yet been developed.