2 year developmental check - do we have to?

[mummyinthemiddle]

We have received a letter from the local public health nursing team saying it is time for our 2 year old to have a developmental review. We can make an appointment to see them or complete a questionnaire to send back to them. We didn't have to do this for DD1 (we were in a different area). I am curious, am I legally bound to complete the questionnaire or can I just let them know we don't need a check?

[nickelbabe]

you don't have to do anything.

[unusednickname]

Is that even a thing?

Ah yes I see it in the red book... Who knew?

[ZuleikaD]

If your 2yo is in any kind of childcare then they'll do the Early Years 2 year check as a matter of course. Other than that you don't have to take your child to a health-checkup unless you have concerns.

[Samvet]

Nope I called and declined. Have virtual phobia of HVs and no concerns so stressful and pointless.

[insancerre]

Totally baffled
Why wouldn't you want to go?

[ZuleikaD]

I couldn't be bothered and had no concerns so didn't go with either DC.

[Iggly]

Why not? I did - it was fine!

[Flisspaps]

insancerre perhaps if you're happy with your child's development and therefore don't see the need to participate in voluntary 'child health surveillance' (which is what involvement with the HV is referred to as), or because your HV talks a crock of shit?

[MrsMushroom]

Well I think it's silly not to. We're not all medical professionals. Many parents miss issues in the early years which trained professionals can spot. Why not take the opportunity?

It's free and it's for the good of the child.

My friend had no idea her DS had autism....no idea whatsoever. She regrets not noticing but how could she? She had no experience of small children...and he is high functioning...so didn't seem typically Autistic.

She wishes she had known so he could have had early intervention.

[Bibs123]

i see no harm in going, i have no concerns with my dd but i am not a professional. The checks could highlight important issues for some children which could have otherwise been missed. Health visitors offer valuable advice to some people and i would rather listen to them. It can only be in the childs best interest and will certainly do no harm.

[Flisspaps]

Well, the 'doing no harm' bit depends entirely upon a sensible person doing the review, and not most of the HVs that we hear about on MN. It's entirely possible that you'd get one who'd make something out of nothing and put the fear of God into the parents.

Also, as a CM I'm able to do a 2 year review on children - I have had no training on how to do this, what to look out for, or who to refer children on to.

[MrsMushroom]

That is silly scaremongering Fliss.

[rememberingnothing]

In what way is that scaremongering by Fliss? It is a statement of 2 facts.

It is entirely possible you will get a very reasonable health professional and also possible you will get a fruit loop like the ones I came across.

OP no you don't have to go. No one will care. Unless of course you want to.

[WannabeWilloughby]

I didnt realise you could opt out, I'm actually thinking of opting out of DS2's after reading this...he's developing well and DS1 is only 18 months older so I can remember and compare. Plus he'll start playschool at 2 and they do a 2 year review, not sure if it's the same.

HV was awful at DS2's 9 month review. He didn't do something she wanted him to do. I told her he did this particular thing beautifully at home and maybe he just didnt want to play that day but she obviously thought I was lying as she scribbled it all in his red book. I got home and took loads of video footage of him doing it as 'proof' in case he decided not to co-operate at the follow up meeting, I was quite angry that I wasn't believed. No letter arrived, no follow up meeting....all that anger and panic for nothing.

My old HV with DS1 was brilliant, down to earth and I used to love seeing her. She moved on and the new one started. Maybe we got off onto a wrong foot but id rather not be made to feel like that again.

Interesting to read these posts, sounds like there's some pretty negative HV experiences out there!!

[WannabeWilloughby]

Sorry forgot to add that the HV told me I would recieve a letter for a follow up. That probably makes more sense.

[Flisspaps]

MrsMushroom

It isn't scaremongering. There's a thread here posted just yesterday by someone who has had a 4 month development review and has been referred by the HV as the baby has not developed the pincer grip. The pincer grip develops at about 8 months.

In what way is that referral appropriate? The only difference between the review on this thread and that thread is the timing of the review.

It's a fact that I've had no training but am still expected to carry out a review if required.

I would have to base it on the EYFS Development Matters guide, accessible to anyone on the DFE website.

If a parent has concerns, they should absolutely raise then with a professional, but these general reviews do miss issues - otherwise many children (who probably have attended these checks as people think they're compulsory) wouldn't have to wait until they were school age to be diagnosed with certain issues and be able to obtain the help they need.

[MrsMushroom]

Fliss there are also multiple threads about bad teachers...I wouldn't advocate not sending a child to school because of that.

Same with bad GPs...plenty of them...nobody advises people not to bother with their checkups because "some GPs are crap"

[Bibs123]

you mention an individual referal but you do not know the facts of that case. there may be facts missing from the post or other concerns that you know nothing about. if you do not want to take your children then don't but i don't see why you need to advocate to others about not attending. like i said it does absoloutley no harm and could pick up on something early that could only benefit a child.

[WannabeWilloughby]

Bibs, sorry not sure if you're comment is aimed at me with the individual referral bit.

The HV wrote in his red book precisely what she felt was a concern and told me there would be a follow up appointment and I would recieve a letter. I categorically told her that DS was able to do the particular thing she hadn't witnessed and my word was not enough. I have no reason to lie. She made me feel like I had to back up what I had said fo this follow up appointment (again written in red book), which never materialised.

I knew I wasn't lying, but I do not appreciate someone meeting my son for 10 minutes and acting as if they know more than me about him.

It was her attitude and as I have said, my old HV was lovely and actually took time to listen to what I had to say.

I havent read all the recent threads, so if your comment was for someone else then sorry for wading in. Just my own personal experience.

If people are allowed to express the benefits of the developmental reviews, then equally we should be allowed to discuss the negatives. My last experience was negative. I might add DS2 is 18 months old now and still no letter, so it's not likely to pop through the door any time soon.

[didireallysaythat]

Who knew these things exist ? We had a check at 10 weeks (the so called 6 week check at the doctors) and a HV check at 14 months and I think the next check up is preschool boosters at 4. I guess not everywhere has had cutbacks yet...

[KatieMiddleton]

I didn't take ds for his. For a start he was 2.6 before the invitation came through. Secondly, he had been under a paediatrician until he was 2 and from just before his 2nd birthday he had been referred to ENT and audiology clinics because he had very little/no speech and he had just started seeing a private SALT. Oh and he'd just started nursery.

I really couldn't see the point in a HV with very little context telling me how he wasn't achieving milestones I already knew he wasn't and not being able to do anything practical.

If I wanted to be told things I already know, have a futile discussion about it where i explain ds's issues all over again and be patronised a bit I would ask my mother's opinion. I wouldn't haul myself and ds miles out to the roughest place in the local area on an infrequent and busy bus route for the privilege of being told things I already know.

[mummyinthemiddle]

Thanks for the responses. I suspected this wasn't compulsary. I have absolutely no concerns about my DD. I have no desire to put us both under pressure to "perform" in front of a HV. The questionnaire just asks loads of questions for which most of the answers are totally subjective anyway.

[Bibs123]

i wasnt talking about you wannabe i was talking to fliss who mentions another post on here. i meant that u couldnt possibly be sure of the facts just by reading a mumsnet post as anyone could have written it.

[WannabeWilloughby]

I wondered, it's because I had mentioned a referral too. I'll get back in my box now and go back to sleep

[5madthings]

They are optional. Fill in the form.if you want to or dont if you have no concerns.

My dd is 26mths and i havent had tge letter yet, i will decline when i get it as she is fine. Hv are overstretched anywsy so it would be a waste if their time and mine.

And if my child gad a crap teacher i wouls be complaining and if i had to i woukd pull them out of school, school isnt compulsory either.


If i had a crap gp i would get a second opinion. I dont go to a gp for a check.up either, i go if i am ill and there is a need. Ditto i take my kids to the hv if there is a need.