Concerns Over Ages And Stages Questionnaire . . . Downright Outraged!

[nellypope]

Has anyone else with a two year old received this?

Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust are currently sending out questionnaires to parents of two year olds. When your child reaches two you are required to attend a one to one session with your two year old and a health visitor so they can assess your child’s development and you can freely discuss and concerns etc. Each child is assessed on an individual basis. These sessions are valid, valuable and necessary. THAT I understand.

However it appears that now not only do you attend the meeting but you are also required to fill out a questionnaire entitled Ages & Stages. I received my copy of this questionnaire last week (my daughter is two and a month) there are two questionnaires intended to be filled out by the parents, prior to their assessment. It would appear you cannot opt out of filling out this questionnaire.

This may be my personal opinion, but I felt angry and outraged, most of the questions are irrelevant, obtuse and downright prying, they made me doubt my child’s natural development and I am extremely angry at the fact that NOWHERE in the covering letter or accompanying paperwork does it offer any confidentiality disclaimer. Although they may have just missed this page out!

I want to know the following:

How is this information going to be utilised?
Who will have access to this information?
In what capacity / circumstances will this information be referenced?

As a 40 year old woman, if I received ANY questionnaire about my personal development, health etc, it would be explained to me comprehensively how this information is used.

One of the questions asks:

Does you child seem TOO friendly with strangers? I have absolutely no way of assessing this. What constitutes ‘too friendly’. Certainly anyone with a mobile phone is attractive to my two year old!

Another asks:
Does your child safely climb stairs holding onto the railing? Absolutely not. We have stair gates.

It's also rather worrying from a developmental point of view. My four year old was talking quite well at two, but my two year old says maybe 5 words. this doesn't worry me and certainly I know the health visitor will watch my child talk to her, hear my answers and think there is nothing untoward. But on paper it's a whole new story, and paints a very different picture.

Is it just me that's angry at this questionnaire? does any else know how the information is stored?

Can I opt out of the questionnaire?

[black_cat51]

of course you can opt out - just don't fill it in!

[China Doll]

I don't really see why you're angry, it's just a questionnaire and it probably is used as a tool to help with assessment, (pretty sure it's standard to have a 2 year old health visitor appointment). As black_cat51 says, just don't fill it in and when you get to the appt, explain you found it difficult to answer and could the health visitor go through it with you and answer the questions you have.

I really don't see the big deal at all.

[nellypope]

Letter states that if you DON'T fill it out, the health visitor will on your behalf.
Perhaps you're happy for the government to read personal information about your children. I'm NOT

[slaney]

These Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQs) are widely used, not just in the UK and are a very useful tool.

As regards the storing of information, some Oxford protocols suggest that the parent attends with the questionnaire, child and 'red book', and leaves with questionnaire afterwards.
You could ask your health visitor whether this is so.

[Sycamore3House]

Every child in the country is supposed to have a health assessment at around the age of 2. If you do not fill in the form are you happy for the Health visitor to fill it in. It would probably end up being anonymous by the time the statistics are used. I don't really see why you are so angry about it as in the future the data could be helping a grandchild or relative of yours.

[China Doll]

Well yes, of course they will. It's just like filling in notes. My doctor uses a particular proforma for her clinic that she completes too, it honestly is quite normal for doctors/medical professionals to have various forms to use as part of an assessment. Another nurse I work with has a form she uses for her initial assessment in to her adolescent patients which also go in to the notes.

I really would just take it along uncompleted if I were you and ask the health visitor the questions you are concerned about. I don't think it's worth getting to enraged about, just go in and ask the questions you have and explain your concerns.

[nellypope]

Thankyou for your answer Slaney. I do understand how these questionnaires may flag up issues, so see their use. But surely the one to one assessment you receive is more valuable.

The questions are worrying, for instance one question implies your two year old should be able to count? Another asks "in what person does your two year old refer to themselves, I or me" my two year old's ability is limited to pointing at her boots and shouting BOOOTS! It's cute, but she can't do 90% of the required tasks.

Where I live, if you're child doesn't talk they are marked on record as needing special treatment, early nursery and put on the special schools list. There is nothing wrong with my daughter, plenty of two year olds utter 5 or less words and I do not want any intervention.

I am worried, especially as I can't opt out.

[nellypope]

I KNOW for a fact that the health visitor if she assessed my child one to one will grade her as fine. But on paper it doesn't look good.

[China Doll]

You sound like you are more worried about the health visitors perception of your child and your child being labelled rather than the questionaire. That's understandable I guess, my nephew just had his done and my sister was upset because the health visitor said she would have liked him to be speaking in two/three word sentences - sister came away upset until I pointed out that 'milk please mum' is a bloody three word sentence!
However on the upside, there is a small concern about his hearing and his speech and language so he will have those assessed by the relevant specialties and I suspect he'll be utterly fine but it's really good that they are taking the time to check. It's not about labelling him, it's about making sure if there are problems, they're sorted out early. I think this is really positive.

Health visitors do not have the final say on whether your child is or is not developing normally but they could pick up if there's a possiblity of a problem and refer to the specialists for double checking. I'm sure everything will be fine with your daughter :c)

[pixie373]

I'm glad they are finally listening. I tried to tell my health visitor that my son thought in a strange way when he was 8 months old. She told me he'd be fine. It took at least 5 more years for the autism diagnosis. He could count at 2- it's an indication of autism and very early development is an indication of ADHD. It's perfectly normal not to be speaking properly until 3- often they pick it up quickly at preschool. If you have no worries about your daughter, just tell them that.

[Sycamore3House]

My youngest a girl did not talk properly until she went to school. She would only say yes, no, an u (thank you), eese (please), and me and she called her brother yaya (not his real name).
But on starting school she found her voice. She is now 21 years old and she has not shut up since. She can talk and debate with perfect sense and she can also talk a load of absolute rubbish. She talks for talking sake. The health visitor told me she may have a speech problem and also a hearing problem. As she was the 2nd child she had her own lazy way of communicating. Her brother did it for her. When she went to school he wasn't there and she had to do it herself.
Don't worry about the forms only worry if you think your child does have a problem,

[nellypope]

Thank you for all your support :-)

When I was 4/5 I was diagnosed as needing remedial support. My first five years of school were a disaster I didn't learn or study any of the regular curriculum. It turns out I was very poorly assessed. Once this was realised I had to spend two years undergoing special catch up sessions. I resent the system deeply for this, I was alienated from my natural peer group.

I know I am probably being over cautious Thankyou for your kind messages though. Yes I am worried :-)

[China Doll]

You're acting like my sister, she had undiagnosed dyslexia until she was 8 years old, and went to the same school as her two 'perceived' more intelligent sisters; she had a hellish time. I understand why you'd be jaded.Be calm :c)

[black_cat51]

i don't think it's mandatory to have the assessment either. They can't drag you there.

[dancecaller]

You say that you think a one to one assessment is best. But some children don't show their best side to health visitors and other strangers, so the questionnaire is perhaps a chance for you to say how she is at home.

[aafew]

It's not just you! I have a ten month old and we get a questionnaire at 9 months in Manchester (and another at 2 years!) It's not as prying but it is anxiety inducing and annoying! Here's my blog post on it:
http://malcontentedmother.com/2014/07/31/the-9-months-health-check-or-a-thousand-more-things-to-worry-about/