Birth and developmental history questions are an important component of paediatric history taking to identify potential concerns or raise red flags for disease processes. For example, infants who are born preterm or secondary to intrauterine growth restriction often present with gait or gross motor concerns [15]. Low birth weight has been associated with cognitive delay, cerebral palsy and can be associated with a greater risk of chronic medical conditions in later life [16]. Parent recall of birth and developmental history has been reported as adequate [17–19] therefore it is relevant that these questions be an important component of the GALLOP. Categorical and quantitative outcome measures are also essential in diagnosis and for evaluation of treatment in paediatric populations. For example, the use of the FPI-6 as an established reliable and valid measure of foot posture allows the clinicians to measure any change over time with growth or disease progression [20]. The measures involved in gait assessment proved to be challenging, with visual assessment and quantitative recorded observations being the preferred method. This was also the area with limited reliability data. Accordingly, the recommendation is that clinicians should view visual gait analysis with caution.
For example, the child presenting with pain in multiple joints may require the use of the Paediatric Gait Arms and Legs (pGALS) tool [21] or the child presenting with toe walking, should trigger the use of the Toe Walking Tool [22]. Similarly, the use of standardised gross motor assessment tools, such as the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2 [23], may be required for indepth analysis of the child who is unable to demonstrate age appropriate gross motor skills.
Assessments without acceptable or any reliability values are indicated by an asterisk within the GALLOP.
