Thinking Outside the Pamphlet: An Amazing Story about Joey the Kangaroo Reaching America's Most Vulnerable Children

One in 6 American children has a developmental delay. However, many children, especially those from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, are not identified until school-age, missing the opportunity for early intervention services. Research has shown that parents are a reliable source of information about their children’s development; their concerns are generally predictive of developmental delays. Using a children’s picture book format, CDC developed Amazing Me: It’s Busy Being 3!, to increase awareness of developmental milestones and the importance of tracking them among parents of 3-year olds. Amazing Me! features Joey, a 3-year-old kangaroo, going through a typical day and the milestones he’s met. This innovative book combines a children’s story with educational information for parents about developmental milestones on each page. CDC partnered with Reach Out and Read, an organization that promotes early literacy in pediatric exam rooms, and Reckitt Benckiser to distribute Amazing Me to nearly 75,000 3-year-olds across the country. Through an evaluation project we aimed to learn if, by distributing this book through pediatric channels, parents are more aware of their child’s milestones and track their child’s development. Results to date show healthcare providers liked the book’s approach and plan to continue distribution after study completion. Data collection is underway to assess parental change in awareness, knowledge, and behavior. Future opportunities for scalability and sustainability will also be discussed.