[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Clinical exam](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/) › [History taking and the interview](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/#a-history) › Pediatric history: perinatal, growth, development and vaccines

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# Pediatric history: perinatal, growth, development and vaccines

- History

A child's history adds questions about pregnancy, birth, feeding, growth, development and vaccines.

Updated 2026-11-01

## Key points

- Record who gives the information and their relationship to the child.
- Perinatal: antenatal care, gestational age, mode of delivery, birth weight, Apgar, resuscitation, jaundice, days in hospital.
- Feeding: WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months.
- Growth is plotted on the WHO charts (weight, length or height, head circumference for age).
- Development by domain: gross motor, fine motor, language and social-emotional; loss of skills already gained is always a red flag.
- Vaccines: check the card of the national schedule (the PAI in Colombia), not just the account.

## What it is

The pediatric history follows the order of the adult history, but the informant is usually the mother, father or carer, and it adds its own blocks: prenatal and perinatal history, feeding, growth, psychomotor development and immunisation. These data explain many of a child's problems and catch developmental delays or missing vaccines in time. Adolescents are also offered time alone, with confidentiality.

## What it must include

- Informant and reliability.
- Prenatal, birth and neonatal history.
- Current and past feeding.
- Weight, length or height and head circumference on their chart.
- Developmental milestones; in Colombia the Escala Abreviada de Desarrollo is used.
- Immunisations checked on the card; schooling, family setting and home hazards.

## How to ask

- 'What is your relationship to the child? Do you live with them?'
- 'How was the pregnancy? How many antenatal visits? Any infections, high blood pressure or diabetes?'
- 'Was the baby born at term? Vaginal birth or caesarean? Birth weight? Did the baby cry straight away or need help?'
- 'Was the baby breastfed? Until what age only breast milk? When did other foods start?'
- 'At what age did the child hold up their head, sit, walk and say first words?'
- 'Is there anything the child used to do and no longer does?'
- 'May I see the vaccination card?'
- 'Does the child attend nursery or school? How is it going?'

## Memory aid

In pediatrics the history starts before birth: pregnancy, delivery, milk, chart, milestones and card.

## Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

## Which perinatal data are asked in the pediatric history?

Antenatal care and pregnancy complications, gestational age, mode of delivery, birth weight, Apgar, need for resuscitation, and neonatal jaundice or admission.

## Which developmental finding is always a red flag, at any age?

Loss of skills the child had already gained (regression).

## Why is the vaccination card requested instead of relying on the account?

Because carers' memory is imprecise; the card shows which doses were given and which are missing under the national schedule.

## What does WHO recommend about breastfeeding in the first months?

Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life.

[Add to my cards (4)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/clinical-exam/pediatric-history-perinatal-growth-development-and-vaccines/)

## Related

- [Vital signs in children: how they change with age](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/vital-signs-in-children-how-they-change-with-age/)
- [Weight, height, body mass index and waist circumference](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/weight-height-body-mass-index-and-waist-circumference/)
- [The clinical history: its parts and their order](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/the-clinical-history-its-parts-and-their-order/)
- [Ortolani and Barlow maneuvers](https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/ortolani-and-barlow-maneuvers/)

## Related conditions

- [Neonatal jaundice](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/neonatal-jaundice/)
- [Measles](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/measles/)
- [Pertussis (whooping cough)](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/pertussis/)
- [Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/autism-spectrum-disorder/)
- [Febrile seizures](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/febrile-seizures/)

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Educational content on the clinical exam; it is learned and practised under supervision. It does not replace assessment by a health professional and is not for self-diagnosis.

Sources: [CDC's Developmental Milestones](https://www.cdc.gov/act-early/milestones/index.html) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2025); [Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule by Age (Addendum updated July 2, 2025) | Vaccines & Immunizations | CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/imz-schedules/child-adolescent-age.html) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2025).

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Representative model, for educational purposes only.

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Source: https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/pediatric-history-perinatal-growth-development-and-vaccines/
License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/clinical-exam/pediatric-history-perinatal-growth-development-and-vaccines/