Developmental reviews and the identification of impairments/disorders

There is a considerable international variation in preventative child health programmes suggesting variability in the available evidence. More socially disadvantaged families may be more likely to have children with developmental difficulties but are less likely to make use of such services. Family perceptions of child development and difficulties are likely to be culturally sensitive and professionals need to pay attention to this. Many developmental problems are on continua which border typical development but also overlap and interact with one another. There is evidence for the effectiveness of some interventions but these are rarely tied into population-level health surveillance programmes.