Child Neuropsychology: Concepts, Theory, and Practice
Jonathan Reed (Editor), Jody Warner-Rogers (Editor)Books.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.
Overview
Based on the most up-to-date research, Child Neuropsychology is a thorough and accessible guide to the key concepts and basic processes central to neuropsychological assessment and child evaluation. Essays by leading experts in the field cover basic neuropsychological functions and related disorders in the context of brain development in gestation, infancy, and childhood.Divided into three sections, the text begins with clear definitions of the concepts and methodology of brain development in infant and child neuropsychology. Section two examines normal and abnormal functional development and its impact on language, memory, and perception. The final section considers professional practice and provides valuable insights into the special problems of neuropsychological assessment of infants and children in clinical and educational settings.
Synopsis
Child Neuropsychology
"Reed and Warner-Rogers have made a substantial contribution to the development of child neuropsychology, which has suffered a dearth of comprehensive texts, in this broad-ranging, well-conceived, and authoritative volume."
Professor J Graham Beaumont, Department of Clinical Psychology, Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability, London
"For me, they have more than succeeded in meeting their goals for combining science and practice, staying academically grounded but accessible, and powerfully presenting the case for the necessary focus on developmental variables. The text is both fascinating and readable throughout."
Jane Holmes Bernstein, Department of Psychiatry, Children's Hospital Boston / Harvard Medical School
"A valuable addition to the libraries of pediatric/child neuropsychologists. It takes a somewhat different and refreshing approach as compared to existing texts, focusing on neurobehavioral functions rather than clinical disorders.The book places a strong emphasis on clinical translation and application that should appeal to practitioners, but is firmly grounded in state-of-the-art theory and research."
Professor Keith Yeates, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Research Institute, Ohio State University
"Here in a single volume, the reader will find summaries of current theory and knowledge regarding nearly all of the most common disorders seen by pediatric neuropsychologists. Whether read as the textbook for a course, or bought as a self-study aid, those new to the field will find this information to be invaluable. More experienced professionals are sure to appreciate well-edited chapters that will quickly bring them 'up to speed' on recent advances. This is an immensely useful book that should be a part of every pediatric neuropsychologist's library."
Steve Hughes, PhD, LP, ABPdN, Director of Education and Research, The TOVA Company
Based on the most up-to-date research, Child Neuropsychology is a thorough and accessible guide to the key concepts and basic processes central to neuropsychological assessment and child evaluation. Essays by leading experts in the field cover basic neuropsychological functions and related disorders in the context of brain development.
Divided into three parts, the text begins with clear definitions of the concepts and methodology of brain development in child neuropsychology. Part two examines normal and abnormal functional development. The final part considers professional practice and provides valuable insights into the special problems of neuropsychological assessment of infants and children in clinical and educational settings.
Editorials
From The Critics
Reviewer:Christopher J. Graver, PhD(Madigan Army Medical Center)Description:Child neuropsychology is a highly specialized field worthy of discussion separate from adult and geriatric neuropsychology. This book provides just such specialized coverage within a developmental framework.
Purpose:In contrast to many symptom- or disease-based books, this one is designed to provide a normal developmental foundation from which to further understand abnormal neuropsychological development.
Audience:Although aimed primarily at clinical neuropsychologists, the book also would be of interest to cognitive psychologists and neuroscientists, as well as other pediatric clinicians. The editors and contributing authors represent a complementary group of researchers and clinicians that bridge science to practice.
Features:As expected, the book begins with an introduction to CNS development. Several aspects are covered in the first few chapters, including neuroanatomy, genetics, and normal trajectories along with plasticity. It is heartening to see the incorporation of longitudinal studies and discussions of differences in findings between static or cross-sectional studies. There is also a chapter on neuroradiology, but this is limited to a handful of psychiatric disorders, which is perplexing given the neuropsychological content of the book. The second section focuses on the development of various neuropsychological domains, such as memory, attention, language, visuospatial, executive functions, and academic skills. This section really begins to read like a textbook, but without the illustrations, key concepts, or cases that can help to overcome the monotony of page after page of print. The clinical aspects appear separated into their own section at the end of the book and contain brief, general information about the practice of neuropsychology in different settings, but little detailed information about practical aspects of clinical practice. For example, the chapter regarding neuropsychological practice in schools never mentions IEPs, interdisciplinary plans, or relevant guidelines. The references are up to date and although the index looks comprehensive at first glance, much of the listings are taken up by author's names rather than subjects or topics.
Assessment:This book meets the aim of providing information about neuropsychological development from a general perspective. However, it fails to integrate clinical topics to stimulate reader interest and involvement, presenting as a dry textbook. Additionally, there is little that will help with the practical aspects of pediatric neuropsychological assessment, including differential diagnosis or treatment planning. For readers seeking a summary of the research literature, this can be a relevant review, but it falls short of being a usable clinical reference.