Table 4. Reasons for removal of items in the consensus meeting within each domain of development.

Domain of Development	Items Removed	Reason for Removal
Gross motor	Head erect continuously when sat up or held	Age range for item exactly the same as another item
	Stands alone for a few seconds	Age range for item exactly the same as another item
	Walks backwards	Poor fita. Reported as “difficult to get children to do this.”
	Jumps with both feet off the ground	Age range for item exactly the same as another item
	Jumps over rope 10 cm off ground	Age range for item exactly the same as another item that involves jumping
	Throws one or more balls into a basket (out of five)	Poor interobserver and intra-observer reliability and poor fit (difficult to be consistent with item)
	Carries a cup on head with no hands	Sex specific, girl's task
Fine motor	Plays with cup and spoon in purposeful manner	Age range for item exactly the same as another item
	Tower of blocks up to eight blocks	Poor fit and age range exactly same as other item
	Can do “Sharp” (put thumb up in specific way)	Sex specific, boy's item.
	Is able to play Chipapa (clapping game)	Sex specific, girl's item.
	Able to fold paper in two halves	Not achieving 90% by 7 y. Found difficult for children to do by examiners.
	Makes a bridge with six bricks	Poor reliability. Not achieving 90% by 7 y
	Makes stairs with bricks	Poor reliability. Not achieving 90% by 7 y
	Copies row of bottle tops	Poor reliability. Not achieving 90% by 7 y
	Copies square pattern of bottle tops	Poor reliability. Not achieving 90% by 7 y
Language	Says four or more words	Poor fit. Not easy to be so exact.
	Says eight or more words	Poor fit. Not easy to be so exact.
	Identifies at least two objects	Poor fit.
	Uses many words >20	Poor fit
	Points to body parts: at least 1 body part	Age range for item exactly same as another item
	Names two objects	Poor fit.
	Knows his or her father's last name	Poor fit. Subjectively many children don't know father's last name
	Copies two lines of song well at home	Poor fit. Subjectively not clear item
	Number recall 1–4	Poor fit and age range same as another item
	Knows quantities	Poor reliability
	Sings two lines of song clearly	Poor fit and many missing
	Retells stories in brief manner	Poor fit and few achieving before 7 y
	Knows how old they are	Poor reliability. 90th centile not before 8 y
	Knows materials	Not achieving 90th centile by 7 y.
Social	Drinks from a cup but may spill some	Unclear question. Poor fit. Some normal children failing
	Wants to be escorted to pit latrine/toilet	Unclear what toilet is. Poor fit and reliability
	Able to imitate household chores	Poor logistic regression. Sex specific, girl's task
	Can do errands e.g., bring salt	Poor logistic regression. Sex specific, girl's task
	Able to play singing games	Sex specific, girl's task.
	Plays Masanje/house	Sex specific, girl's task.
	Spends more time with specific friend	Sex specific (boy's task) and poor fit
	Does housework properly useful round house	Not achieved by 7 y
	Knows how to take responsibility without being asked	Not achieved by 7 y

^aPoor goodness of fit in logistic regression.