Treatment Options in Early Intervention

From The Critics

Reviewer: Raymond A. Sturner, MD(Duke University School of Medicine)
Description: This text is a collection of review-type articles originally appearing between 1988 and 1993 in the journal Infants and Young Children.
Purpose: The compilation is intended to provide innovative models to help guide clinicians and administrators through a formative period during which states are struggling to comply with a new Federal mandate (IDEA) to provide clinical services earlier than has previously been possible and through interdisciplinary collaboration that has not been a tradition.
Audience: The book is oriented more toward a description of clinical experience rather than data-based examples, but there are two very useful appendixes outlining key points from previous intervention research. Practitioners (OT, PT, SLP, nurse, educator, or pediatrician) directly involved in NICU follow-up or early intervention programs under the IDEA mandate will want to read this book if they have not read its journal source and do not have access to it. They will probably find a few new ideas they can use in their clinical work and some insights into what colleagues from other disciplines and other programs are doing.
Features: A diverse group of specialists heading recognized demonstration model programs are the authors. They address a wide range of problems, including visual impairment, aggressive preschoolers, fussy babies, sexually abused young children, treatment of CP, NICU follow-up, drug exposure, language intervention, and group care. Some truly innovative approaches are presented such as "enhancing the development of self reliance in motor impaired children." However, some of the information is now seven years old, and no attempt has been made to revise it or to add new references.
Assessment: Despite its limitations, the book may serve as a benchmark for defining state-of-the-art early intervention programming.

Raymond A. Sturner

This text is a collection of review-type articles originally appearing between 1988 and 1993 in the journal Infants and Young Children. The compilation is intended to provide innovative models to help guide clinicians and administrators through a formative period during which states are struggling to comply with a new Federal mandate (IDEA) to provide clinical services earlier than has previously been possible and through interdisciplinary collaboration that has not been a tradition. The book is oriented more toward a description of clinical experience rather than data-based examples, but there are two very useful appendixes outlining key points from previous intervention research. Practitioners (OT, PT, SLP, nurse, educator, or pediatrician) directly involved in NICU follow-up or early intervention programs under the IDEA mandate will want to read this book if they have not read its journal source and do not have access to it. They will probably find a few new ideas they can use in their clinical work and some insights into what colleagues from other disciplines and other programs are doing. A diverse group of specialists heading recognized demonstration model programs are the authors. They address a wide range of problems, including visual impairment, aggressive preschoolers, fussy babies, sexually abused young children, treatment of CP, NICU follow-up, drug exposure, language intervention, and group care. Some truly innovative approaches are presented such as enhancing the development of self reliance in motor impaired children. However, some of the information is now seven years old, and no attempt has been made to revise it or to add new references. Despite itslimitations, the book may serve as a benchmark for defining state-of-the-art early intervention programming.

Booknews

Multidisciplinary papers address topics including early language intervention; identifying and treating aggressive preschoolers; a partnership model for communicating with infants at risk; and the challenges of providing quality group child care for infants and young children with special needs. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

3 Stars from Doody