ABSTRACT
Development, like growth, is something everyone does. Most developmental dif ferences become apparent during early childhood and are assessed at that time. When a child seems to be developing differently from the expected, it raises the possibility that there may be something seriously wrong. While most children who present with concerns about development will have minor problems, it is always important to listen carefully to the parents’ fears. Hasty or inappropriate reassurance may delay diagnosis and intervention, and undermine the parents’ confidence in themselves and their doctors. Assessment should not ever be regarded as finished. New knowledge, new technologies and changing presentation dictate that the questions of diagnosis (in terms of both function and aetiology) need to be kept in mind throughout the life of the person with an existing or possible developmental disorder.
