Developmental assessment: practice tips for primary care physicians

ABSTRACT

Child development refers to the continuous but predictably sequential biological, psychological and emotional changes that occur in human beings between birth and the end of adolescence. Developmental surveillance should be incorporated into every child visit. Parents play an important role in the child's developmental assessment. The primary care physician should educate and encourage parents to use the developmental checklist in the health booklet to monitor their child's development. Further evaluation is necessary when developmental delay is identified. This article aimed to highlight the normal child developmental assessment as well as to provide suggestions for screening tools and questions to be used within the primary care setting.