Rural parents' attitudes and knowledge regarding handicapped preschool children: Implication for developing an early identification program

Rural parents are an often overlooked Child Find source. One hundred and seventy-nine parents were assessed to determine parents' ability to identify possible developmental delays and seek appropriate services. The results indicate that parent-orientated Child Find awareness campaigns must focus on: (1) increasing awareness of the role parents can play in early identification and reduce dependency on physicians, (2) heightening awareness of the importance of early intervention, (3) providing a mechanism to enable parents to detect developmental delays, (4) informating parents of services available to handicapped children and their families, and (5) informing parents of handicapped children's educational rights.