Practical Training for the Severely Handicapped Child.

Abstract

The book concentrates on the handicaps, other than defects of movement, found in children suffering from cerebral palsy, and it will be of value to trained personnel, physiotherapists, occupational and speech therapists, teachers, and other specialists, such as audiologists and orthoptists. It also makes the total problem of assessment clear to physicians especially concerned with the care of these children. In the first section on eye defects, an account is given of normal development of vision and oculomotor control. The defects likely to be encountered in children with cerebral palsy are listed. The visuo-motor and visuoperceptual and allied difficulties are discussed, and the various means of analysing these problems. A chapter is devoted to the interpretation of these observations, and to the educational and emotional implications. The defects of hearing, speech, language, and communication are dealt with in the same way. The section on psychological testing gives an account of the problems of assessment, and the many and varied scales used. The techniques which help in the testing at each age-group are simply discussed, as well as the psychological assessment of specific disabilities. Numerous references are given, and many explanatory case histories. There are illustrations of test situations and childrens' drawings. This book tackles the problem of the additional handicaps more fully, perhaps, than any previous similar publication. It may be of even more value to the specialist than Volume I.