Developmental tests and scales

Abstract

Casual judgments about a child's development are often incorrect and can result in serious mismanagement and considerable parental distress. Accurate developmental diagnosis involves careful observation of intellectual, social, and motor abilities; the science of measuring these and other psychological functions is called psychometrics. This article considers the relevance of psychometric principles to developmental paediatrics. The other components of developmental diagnosis, such as vision and hearing tests, have recently been reviewed elsewhere.