Background: Early identification of possible intellectual disability can help children and families access appropriate services and support more quickly. There has been an increasing interest in the use of screening tools for this purpose. This study reviews the literature in relation to such tools. Methods: A literature search was carried out for English language articles from 1990 to 2009 using a range of databases. Secondary searches were carried out from references of relevant articles. Results: Only one article was identified which examined the ability of an assessment to specifically identify children with a potential intellectual disability; however, no information was provided about sensitivity, specificity or cut-off points. Conclusions: There is not, as yet, a screening tool that can reliably identify children with a probable intellectual disability. Further research in this area is needed.