[Assessment of developmental status considering current requirements of the health examination for school entry]

Society and education policy have led to significant changes for school starters. This not only concerns the lowering of school entry age but also the focus of health examinations for school entry on promotion-oriented diagnostics. This examination aims to evaluate the child's school readiness to ensure that from a (work-) medical point of view, the child will be able to meet the expected requirements at his/her future work place, namely, school. The present article demonstrates the consequences of the current requirements by discussing the example of the health examination for school entry in North Rhine-Westphalia. By focusing specifically on the assessment of the child's developmental status as one component of the health examinations for school entry, the effects of the changing conditions become visible. Aspects of health policy are shown considering "the new morbidity" and early preventive medical check-ups. Using the example of the assessment of developmental status the effects of the current requirements and the consequent need for a new concept of this particular component of the health examination for school entry are described.