A standardized medical examination of four to five year old children was introduced into Victorian preschools in 1977. This combined a neurodevelopmental screening with a physical examination. ⋯ The number of children referred for intervention or therapy from the disadvantaged group was 176 (34%) compared with 88 children (17.6%) from the more advantaged group. A standardized examination of the preschool child is desirable, so that consistently comparable results can be obtained and epidemiological trends can be more readily identified.
AbstractA standardized medical examination of four to five year old children was introduced into Victorian preschools in 1977. This combined a neurodevelopmental screening with a physical examination. In a study to verify the effectiveness of this examination, a random sample of 512 children from inner urban and disadvantaged outer urban preschools was examined and compared with a group of 500 children from preschools in more advantaged areas. Of these 1012 children, 264 (26%) required referral for one or more previously unrecognized disabilities. The number of children referred for intervention or therapy from the disadvantaged group was 176 (34%) compared with 88 children (17.6%) from the more advantaged group. A standardized examination of the preschool child is desirable, so that consistently comparable results can be obtained and epidemiological trends can be more readily identified.