Psychosocial Aspects Of Child Research Articles

Letter To The Editor

The concept for a prenatal visit, when a primary care pediatriclan meets with a family before delivery, was developed many years before the development of neonatology as a subspecialty. Guidelines for this visit, developed by the AAP Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health reflects this historical legacy and emphasizes multiple levels of anticipatory guidance. Dr. Grylack correctly points out that prenatal counseling has distinct advantages for parents who are preparing to deliver a premature infant or a full-term infant with a known congenital anomaly that may require intensive care after birth.

The Prenatal Visit

I would like to expand upon the AAP statement entitled "The Prenatal Visit" made by the AAP Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health1 by discussing another facet: the prenatal visit made by the neonatologist to a high-risk obstetric inpatient. As obstetricians, pediatricians, and patients have become more aware of the value of this visit, I have gained more experience with the process and would like to present the standard components of that interaction.

26th annual conference of the European Working Group on Psychosocial Aspects of Children with Chronic Renal Failure.

26th annual conference of the European Working Group on Psychosocial Aspects of Children with Chronic Renal Failure.

25th Annual Conference of the European Working Group on Psychosocial Aspects of Children with Chronic Renal Failure

25th Annual Conference of the European Working Group on Psychosocial Aspects of Children with Chronic Renal Failure

Letters to the Editor

The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health appreciates Dr Yablin's comments on our recent statement, The Pediatrician's Role in Helping Children and Families Deal with Separation and Divorce (Pediatrics 1994;94:119-121). He is correct when he points out that pediatricians have a potentially beneficial role during the child custody decision process. Too often these crucial decisions for the children and family are guided by lawyers without input from professional child advocates—either pediatricians, psychologists, or psychiatrists.

Group Health Supervision Visits More Effective Than Individual Visits in Delivering Health Care Information

Preventive health care consumes a substantial amount of pediatricians' time and has been promoted as one of the most important medical functions physicians perform.1-4 The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has emphasized the need for preventive health care. To assist in the delivery of child health supervision, the AAP Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health has recently published guidelines recommending specific topics to be covered at each of the routine health maintenance visits.5 Despite the acceptance of recommendations for preventive child health care, the efficacy of office-based prevention strategies has not yet been proven.6 However, assessment of the literature addressing the effectiveness and costs of strategies for promoting and maintaining child health has been noted to be "more remarkable for its limitations than its findings."6

Guidelines for Health Supervision II, by the Committee on the Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health, 1985-1988

<i>Guidelines for Health Supervision II</i>is a 160-page 6-inch × 11-inch spiralring manual with accompanying set of 22 cue cards published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It was written in 1985 by the Committee on the Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health of the Academy. The authors represent nationally outstanding and experienced persons devoted to child health. The guidelines are intended to be used by practicing pediatricians as well in the education of physicians and other health professionals. This second edition begins with an emphasis on establishing a therapeutic alliance—the doctor-parent and doctor-patient relationship. Specific suggestions in the communication process are given as well as suggested readings. Beginning with the prenatal visit and extending to the health assessment of 20-year-old patients, the manual gives succinct and specific guidelines on gathering information, examination, immunization, anticipatory guidance, and closing the visit. This format is similar to that of the first

Psycho-social aspects of children and adolescents with diabetes.

The diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, a life-long disease with many possible complications, has a dramatic impact upon the entire family, precipitating a state of "shock". The psychological problems in diabetes should be divided in 3 periods: at diagnosis (other diseases or tension existing in the family and not related to diabetes, socio-economic state); initial adaptation period (acceptance to be "different", adjustment to rules of control such as daily injection of insulin, self blood glucose monitoring or urine testing, changing of nutritional habits, etc.), and long term coping (self-image, family dynamics, social activities, school achievements, vocational rehabilitation and continuing compliance. Counselling of the psychological problems is an ongoing need and is best delivered when the treating team included psychologists and social workers.

Meeting of the European Working Group on Psychosocial Aspects of Children with Chronic Renal Failure, Jerusalem, Israel, 8-12 November 1987.

Meeting of the European Working Group on Psychosocial Aspects of Children with Chronic Renal Failure, Jerusalem, Israel, 8-12 November 1987.

Comparison of Well, Emotionally Disordered, and Behaviorally Disordered Children with Linguistic Problems

This paper examines the backgrounds and developmental and psychosocial aspects of children who have different types of psychiatric disorders and associated speech or language disorders. Four groups of children are compared: a psychiatrically “well” group ( N=298). a “behaviorally disordered group” ( N=142). an “emotionally disordered group” ( N=92). and a “mixed” group having both an emotional disorder and a behavioral disorder ( N =11). The data show that although socioeconomic, demographic, and developmental factors generally do not differentiate the groups, speech and language factors frequently do. The findings suggest that speech and language factors may play a primary role in the genesis of psychiatric disorders.

Pediatrics and the Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health

Pediatricians through their participation in primary, secondary, and tertiary health care services have the opportunity and the responsibility for guiding parents in the health care of their children as well as protecting the health of children and adolescents. More than any other health care provider, pediatricians have the requisite longitudinal and cross-sectional perspective, and a background in biologic and psychological development. In providing optimal child and family health care, the American Academy of Pediatrics seeks to enhance the important contributions of pediatricians in relation to basic health needs as reflected in the psychosocial aspects of child and family life. The purpose of this statement is to define that role. Over the past four decades, pediatric education, research, and practice have been enriched by inclusion of relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes from the behavioral and social sciences, child development, education, and child psychiatry. The extensive scientific and experiential knowledge base applicable to pediatric practice includes normal growth and development; adaptive and pathologic psychosocial development; the nature of parentchild and family relationships; child care and parenting practices and their relation to different family styles and ethnic and cultural back-grounds; reactions of children of various ages to illness and death; nature and significance of psychometric tests to assess status, aptitude, and achievements; opportunities for preventive intervention in primary care and counseling at-risk families; and principles of the psychotherapeutic role of the pediatrician. As a primary care physician and consultant, the pediatrician is increasingly expected to be concerned with the prevention, early detection, and management of psychosocial problems pertinent to optimal child and family health and development.