The Value of a Developmental History

Mothers taking part in a population study of child health reported the ages at which various milestones in their children were reached. The proportion of mothers able to recall milestones decreased with increasing time from the developmental event. Walking was the best recalled milestone and smiling the least often remembered. When comparing mothers' memories of milestones on follow‐up interviews there were considerable discrepancies: smiling was remembered as occurring later than previously reported and all other milestones tended to be reported as occurring earlier. It is concluded that routine developmental history‐taking is likely to be inaccurate and clinically misleading.