Introduction: how it all came about -- Basic concepts of developmental neurology -- What are spontaneous movements? -- How to record and assess general movements -- What could interfere with the quality of general movements? -- How objective, reliable and valid is the general movement assessment? -- The clinical application of the method -- Quantitative assessment is an insensitive indicator of impaired integrity of the nervous system -- Brain ultrasound and general movement assessment -- Neurological examination and general movement assessment -- What other methods of general movement assessment exist? -- Epilogue.