Pediatric Concerns: Six tips to improve developmental documentation

by Valerie Bica, BSN, RN
Providers often document “global devel dopmental delays” in pediatric charts. The phrase is used to describe when a child takes longer to reach certain development milestones than other children the same age, such as  walking or talking. Children with conditions such as Down’s syndrome or cerebral palsy may also have a global developmental delay. To any pediatric provider or clinician, this term represents a combination of physical and mental challenges that may require extensive support and resource use. Many children with global developmental delays have comorbid conditions, and regardless of their admitting diagnosis, the presence of the delay affects code assignment and, in turn, reimbursement.