There is no single protocol for every child. Age, current repertoire, and the clinical question define which instrument is most helpful. Many clinics combine a curriculum instrument, which guides the plan, with another for development or adaptive behavior, which provides a broader view.

Overview by age group

Protocol Target range Purpose
ESDM (Early Start Denver Model) 12 to 48 months Early intervention curriculum by levels and domains
VB-MAPP Milestones from 0 to 48 months development Verbal behavior, barriers, and transition
Portage 0 to 6 years Developmental inventory in five areas
IDADI 4 to 72 months Child development with normative results
SPM (home version) 5 to 12 years Sensory processing, with T-score by scale

Other instruments, such as ABLLS-R, PEAK, Socially Savvy, Essential for Living, and PEDI, have target audiences and age ranges defined in their manuals. Consult each manual before choosing.

How to choose

  • Young child, start of intervention: a curriculum like the ESDM usually guides the first plan well.
  • Focus on language and verbal behavior: the VB-MAPP shows milestones by area and learning barriers.
  • Broad developmental view: inventories like Portage and IDADI cover various areas, and IDADI provides normative results.
  • Sensory issues: the SPM helps understand sensory processing at home.

Precautions

  • Use the age range as a reference, not as an absolute rule: the child's repertoire carries as much weight as their age.
  • Always re-administer the same instrument to compare progress.
  • Copyright-protected protocols require professional certification.

Protocols in Proaba

Proaba has over 15 digital protocols, including ESDM (1st and 2nd edition), VB-MAPP, ABLLS-R, Portage, IDADI, Socially Savvy, PEAK, Essential for Living, SPM, PROC, and PEDI. Each is administered as a checklist by level and domain, with history and comparison between administrations, and some have their own interpretation: the VB-MAPP milestones grid, the IDADI normative calculation, and the SPM T-score.