Tips for Using with Premature Children

Adjusting a child’s age for prematurity

Both the ASQ-3™ and the ASQ:SE-2™ require you to adjust a child’s age for prematurity. Using the adjusted age to choose the correct questionnaire interval for both ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 is important because the cutoff scores were established using children whose ages were adjusted. Also, not adjusting for prematurity may over-refer children for regulatory concerns that are a result of prematurity.

When to adjust a child’s age

A child’s age is adjusted if he or she is 3 or more weeks premature and is under 2 years of chronological age. Once a child is 2 years and older, adjusted ages no longer need to be calculated.

How to adjust a child’s age

A child’s adjusted age is calculated by subtracting the number of weeks of prematurity from child’s chronological age. The resulting age is used to determine the appropriate ASQ questionnaire to administer. For easy calculation, use the free online ASQ Age Calculator at http://bit.ly/ASQAgeCalc or download the free ASQ Calculator app for iOS (http://bit.ly/CalcApp) or Android devices (http://bit.ly/CalcAppAndroid).

Mention age adjustment when introducing questionnaires to parents

Parents of premature children are often confused when they receive questionnaires younger than their child’s chronological age. Be sure to explain that the ASQ system adjusts for prematurity and they are receiving the questionnaire interval that will most accurately depict their child’s abilities.

Adapted from ASQ-3™ User’s Guide and ASQ:SE-2™ User’s Guide by Jane Squires, Ph.D., Elizabeth Twombly, M.S., Diane Bricker, Ph.D., & LaWanda Potter, M.S. © 2017 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.