So D's just had his 2 and a half year development check. He's a pretty bright, well behaved little chap so I wasn't expecting much drama.
He got measured and weighed. Bit on the small side but nothing to worry about apparently. Then he built a little tower of bricks. All good so far.
The next thing was a questionaire on behaviour for me to complete. This came out as slightly hyperactive. The health worker said this surprised her as Ds didn't seem hyperactive. I said it surprised me too as DS is actually very calm and placid. It constantly surprises me how placid he is (partly because I really was hyperactive as a child- so that's my benchmark!)
Next thing was a checklist of 50 common words and I had to tick the ones he says. It was under 32, which is the benchmark for intervention. The intervention turned out to be a leaflet about how to talk to your child (some of which was useful) and a follow up appointment in 3 months time.
The health worker told me that in the past, when shed been able to use her judgement, she wouldn't have done the "intervention" as she could "see he was OK" but that these days she has to go strictly by a checklist.
As she was discussing this with me, DS was amusing himself with a jigsaw, saying the names of all the pieces (car, bus, train etc...) and their colours. All of which are words, obviously- just not the words on the list!
The health worker, seeing this, seemed to get a bit frustrated and went over the word list with me again to see if she could bump up the score sufficiently to avoid having to make an appointment. We managed to establish that DS will say "seat" and "chair" and that this would do as an equivalent to "sofa/settee" and that although DS has never said "want" or "need" he is able to ask for something with the phrase "Help please-(eg) milk" I'm not sure if this puts us over the threshold for intervention or not.
Health visitor then suggested that if an appointment is made and I feel DS "doesn't need it" it would be OK not to attend.
It will be a cold day in hell before I follow this advice as I once had a referral made to social services because of "failing to engage with services" (I missed some health appointments through no fault of my own- the hospital was sending letters to the wrong address) and I am now militant about attending everything, whether I feel its necessary or not.
So AIBU to think that this tick box approach is a bit flawed? Or have I just been answering the questions over cautiously? (Health worker seemed to be implying I had- but I was loathed to embroider)