Development checks during covid

[Russell19]

Hi all,

I'm just trying to find out if any authority areas are carrying out newborn, 1yo or 2yo checks in person?

I'm in Cheshire and ours are currently over the phone.

I am concerned about this for various reasons.

My daughter's upcoming 13 - 15 month review will be over the phone due to COVID 19 guidelines. I've no particular concerns for my wee one but I do worry about the children who will inevitably fall through the net from not being seen face to face. I'm in Scotland.

DS 1 year check was meant to be by video call but ended up on the phone. He was premature and failed to thrive. They sent me the wrong questionnaires.

When asked if I had any concerns I said yes, he still has a squint. She said ok I’ll refer you to the eye clinic at the hospital. She didn’t. I had to follow up with my sons consultant to do it. So not only was it pointless, it actually wasted time as I would have asked the consultant to do it four months earlier had she not said she would.

Such a shame as I found the HV team brilliant when I had my first. This time round? Not good and I actually need more support because of my sons history. I really feel for parents who are struggling or lonely or first time mums and just need some reassurance.

Sorry should have said I’m in Cambridgeshire

No 6 week check. 8 week was fine in with jabs. Haven’t seen a HV face to face ever. Had a phone call at 12 months. She told be he was socially underdeveloped because he didn’t hug a doll. (He is incredibly affectionate and nursery have said so too) I told them I was struggling with my mental health. They did nothing. Shit show really My boy is 14 months.

I’m in Yorkshire

DS is 32 months (is usually say 2.5) no check, spoke to nursery they said they've got 3 year olds who still haven't had theirs. They have no concerns about DS and neither do we, but the HV hasn't seen him since he was 9 months when they did his 1 year check because they were also seeing a neighbour with a 16 months old for the same check.... I have no faith

@noidontwatchloveisland my DD was premature and born last summer but no additional health issues. Due to this we had what my area call the enhanced service so more visits, all HV visits were in person at home. I probably saw someone 6 times in the first 5 months of her life. I did feel bad though because friends who delivered at similar times had no visits and could only take baby to a weight clinic if they had concerns. Really poor they wouldn't come and see you.

My DS had a development check at 18 months, face to face with a GP! This was last October in the throws of tier 3/4. I was shocked to say the least.

@MrsPatrickDempsey I'm not a HV but work with them, and I agree the general idea on here that HV are useless is very sad. The mandated checks are there to pick up delays in development and concerns with families, and it is awful they don't have the resources to do that in all areas. The reality is that most families where there are safeguarding concerns are known about through one way or another, and a large proportion of the HV time is spent supporting these families/ attending meetings etc. Covid has meant that HV are having to work harder to get into these families, and some families who were just about managing have really struggled. The whole NHS/ public health system needs to be overhauled- far too much is being spent on firefighting and treatment down the line, far too little prevention. The problem is, which government will be brave enough to suggest this, and will they be voted in?

1&2 year reviews done face to face in Bristol.

Don’t see why they aren’t being as HVs were vaccinated long ago they’ve had their second dose.

My 23 month old hasn't seen a HV since he was a few weeks old. No one would have a clue if he was being beaten/abused/murdered. He is under care of a peadeatrician but all consultations have been on the phone to me - not ideal as his concerns are about physical issues which really need to be seen. They don't even look at photos.

I think if you seem to be ok at the 8 week HV check then you’re left to it and don’t think that’s a covid thing. My youngest was born 2019 so was 13 months as first lockdown and he hadn’t seen a HV since he was 8 weeks old, hasn’t been weighed since he was 5 days old! But not due to covid.

@Onceuponatime1818

I think if you seem to be ok at the 8 week HV check then you’re left to it and don’t think that’s a covid thing. My youngest was born 2019 so was 13 months as first lockdown and he hadn’t seen a HV since he was 8 weeks old, hasn’t been weighed since he was 5 days old! But not due to covid.

With my first I had a 12 month and 2 year face to face developmental check though, these haven't happened during covid. My DS goes to nursery and they assess development but I think I'd feel a bit lost if I was a sahm and had no baby groups etc to see where he should be developmentally

We had a health visitor do a home visit for my baby’s 9-12 month development check. (Always done in the 9th month here but seems to vary.)

No check for my 2yo. That's fine, he doesn't need it.

I'm a SALT. Recently we have been receiving referrals for 4yos in nursery who are non-verbal or have very few words, many who will probably be diagnosed with Autism eventually. These children have missed out on checks (the 2 year check is done at 2.5 here) that would have triggered a referral. The child hasn't had the support they needed and it's tough on the family. That's before you delve into domestic violence, abuse etc.

In defence of the Health Visitors, the issues are:

• NHS England has strict guidance about what to offer in person. Basically the guidance is do it virtually if possible and only do it is person if you have a clear reason. HVs don't know most families well to know who needs an in person appointment. I imagine many if the HVs are keen to return to in person appointments.
• A lot of HVs were redeployed as they are qualified nurses. They had a skeleton team and there was a rise of domestic violence, abuse etc which had to be prioritised. The backlog is huge. Virtual appointments are much quicker too, as less travel time for home visits and less cleaning in clinic.

I'm I'm Greater Manchester. Had GP and newborn HV checks in person last year but just had a letter to say the 12 month check will be over the phone. Seems pretty pointless!

Well all NHS workers have a backlog of cases, my dh is Gastroenterologist and yes it would be quicker for him to clear it if he said he was only doing telephone clinics. However he insists on seeing patients face to face as he knows how many important signs can be missed by not physically seeing and examining a patient. He’s literally had to fight senior management at times over this.

I work in a nursery and we are seeing unprecedented levels of developmental delay. Speech,social skills, physical skills. Some quite worrying. But what’s more worrying is a lot of these children have had video or telephone checks by HVs where no problems were identified!!
I’m guessing part of the reason for this is because parents who don’t know what’s expected at this age just say yes to everything they are asked, or they don’t want their child to be judged, so they pretend everything is fine. And some issues are just impossible to pick up if the child isn’t in front of you.
Getting help for those toddlers (who have had all their boxes ticked by the HV), and getting them up to speed in time to start school is going to be almost impossible.

Sorry rant over!

There hasn't been a routine NHS one or two year check for many years. Some areas may choose to do them but they're not sensitive or specific for picking up problems. There is a newborn check and an 8 week check combined with first imms and that's it

I had my 2 year HV check o eat the phone and tbh it was a massive waste of time. I could have said yes to all the questions and no one would have checked. My dc could be really delayed/shoved in front of the tv all day with no interaction and they would have been none the wiser. Luckily, my dc isn’t and is fine but all those children who aren’t are being missed.

My newborn has been seen at 10 days and will be seen at 8 weeks in person but my home check ante natal one was over the phone so again I could have said anything!

1 year old check over phone due to covid.. dd is now 25 months old. When does the 2 year old check happen as we've heard nothing??

We had the "we realise your baby has never seen a health visitor" letter. I laughed and binned it. We got sent a questionnaire at 1 year, which we duly filled in and never heard anything back. Presumably that means they have no concerns. No idea what health visitors are supposed to do, if I'm honest. I won't bother with the next questionnaire probably.

Blackpool here and 2 year check was done during a home visit

DS was born February 2020. His 6-8 week check at the GP was done mainly by phone from the car park with a quick check in person to look at hips, weigh/measure and whatever else can only be done physically. He had weight gain issues until he was about 8 months due to some kind of intolerance but it was a real struggle to get him seen as that was at the height of the pandemic, but fortunately it seems to have self-resolved. His 8-12 month check was done in person - in our area HVs started doing home visits again after Christmas. We're in the south west.

@LyndzB

Blackpool here and 2 year check was done during a home visit

This is interesting. It seems it differs across the country. Thanks.

I have written to my MP, would anyone else like to do the same? I feel our children deserve this bare minimum care.

Glasgow Area, 30 month check in person as was the 2 year old one.