Opportunistic surveillance of child development in primary care: is it feasible?

The authors postulate that effective developmental surveillance of children, both in terms of detection of abnormalities and in maternal counselling, can be carried out by taking advantage of opportunities during ordinary consultation to identify problems and to offer advice. The results presented in this paper are part of a more detailed study in progress to compare such an opportunistic method of health surveillance with the traditional method of regular age-linked examinations provided by clinical medical officers. From a retrospective analysis of the medical records of 58 children who had reached their first birthday and who had been registered with the study practice since their birth, the authors suggest that, based upon attendance rates, opportunistic assessment of development by a general practitioner or a health visitor is more likely to encompass those children most at risk than assessment at clinics.