Book series: Clinics in Developmental Medicine

Photosensitive Epilepsy

Photosensitive epilepsy is a relatively rare condition in which convulsions are precipitated by visual stimuli.

The authors have spent almost 30 years studying this condition and have assembled the largest cohort of patients ever studied by one centre.

Their previous book on the subject (1975) became the standard text on this condition. This book reviews the earlier studies, reviews all the literature on this condition in humans and details the many studies that have since been carried out, including studies on drug therapy, the long term prognosis for the condition, pattern sensitivity, video game epilepsy, and convulsions precipitated by other video material. In addition there is advice on procedures to reduce the risk of stimulation from television as well as such factors as the genetics of photosensitivity. This is the most comprehensive text available.

Clinics in Developmental Medicine No. 133

Postural Control

The complex nature of the postural control system makes it vulnerable to adverse conditions during early life, such as prenatally or perinatally acquired lesions of the brain or preterm birth. Children with disorders of the developing brain nearly always have dysfunctions in postural control. The postural control system of children with other neurodevelopmental disabilities such as myelomeningocele or muscle disease is also challenged: it has to find age-specific solutions for the postural problems posed by the disorder. These postural problems have serious consequences for the activities of daily life, as adequate postural control is a prerequisite for adequate motility. Until now, knowledge about the nature of postural problems in children has been scattered, and this has hampered the development of appropriate therapeutic management strategies. This book is a breakthrough in that it introduces the reader to the complexity of typical and atypical postural development and provides suggestions for the day-to-day management of postural problems in children with developmental disorders such as cerebral palsy, developmental coordination disorder, muscle disorder and myelomeningocoele. ‘This should be a “must read” for anyone whose occupation or interests are in the areas of motor development or rehabilitation.’ Diane Damiano

Clinics in Developmental Medicine No. 179

Prechtl’s Method on the Qualitative Assessment of General Movements in Preterm, Term and Young Infants

A quick, non-invasive, non-intrusive and cost-effective method with high reliability and high validity is much in demand for the early detection of neurological anomalies which point to cerebral palsy and developmental deficits later on in life.

Over his years as a distinguished developmental neurologist, Heinz Prechtl has devised such a method; a qualitative assessment of general movements (GMs) as a specific predictor for neurological impairments. His method is described in this book.

GMs form part of a distinct pattern of movements in preterm babies, term newborns and young infants. They are complex, frequent, and usually of sufficient length. Changes in the normal quality of GMs are a reliable indicator of brain dysfunction.

Supporting Videos 

Videos to accompany 15 cases selected from the book are free to download with every book purchase. Each is of about one minute in duration and demonstrates the different age-specific movement patterns. Contact [email protected] for free access if you have purchased the book from another book seller.

(Note to Mac users: you may need to convert the AVI files in order to view them. Free converters are widely available for download, e.g. from iSkysoft.)

Clinics in Developmental Medicine No. 167

Preschool Children with Inadequate Communication

It is often difficult to decide whether a preschool child who does not communicate effectively has a developmental disorder limited to language, has behaviours that indicate autism with or without mental deficiency, or across-the-board mental deficiency without autistic features. All of these disorders denote abnormal brain development, but standard medical and neurologic examinations and tests such as brain imaging, EEGs, chromosome and chemical tests rarely provide an answer. Careful attention to the child’s language and behaviour, ability to play creatively, and analysis of neuropsychologic tests and language are much more informative for arriving at a correct diagnosis. This is one of the largest multidisciplinary studies which has considered the problem of making a diagnosis among these often confusing and difficult to test young children and considers explicitly the practical consequences of using different criteria for making a diagnosis.

Clinics in Developmental Medicine No. 139

Psychobiology of the Hand

The hand is a remarkable organ which is characteristic of primates and most highly developed in man. This book deals with the evolution and development of hand function, with the structure of the hand and with the hand as a perceptual system. Neurophysiology and psychology of hand function are included, as are problems of disability. With expert interdisciplinary contributions from around the world, this wide-ranging overview is sure to be of value to all those interested in hand function, development, pathology and therapy.

Clinics in Developmental Medicine No. 147

Rett Syndrome

Among the vast body of literature that has grown around Rett syndrome, this volume is the first to be aimed at both clinicians and researchers.

It presents a comprehensive overview of the disorder and examines the areas where gaps in knowledge are most significant.

Rett Syndrome is intended to be a guide for both initial examination and in-depth study of the disorder. It is a practical text for the physician approaching the disorder for the first time and a valuable reference resource for the specialist or researcher.

Video About the Book

Watch Dr Walter Kaufmann, Editor of Rett Syndrome, discuss the book.

Clinics in Developmental Medicine Series

Shaking and Other Non-accidental Head Injuries in Children

The Research Programme on Shaken Baby Syndrome in Edinburgh is internationally recognised for its prominent ongoing research into the epidemiology, bio-mechanics, primary and secondary brain insults, neuroradiological aspects, medical-social aspects, and neurodevelopmental and neuropsychometric sequelae of shaking a baby. In this book, a highly distinguished team of experts from the programme present the clinician with the latest findings on the syndrome, covering the diagnosis of the syndrome itself and the long-term disability that results which, unlike other forms of child abuse associated with psychological scars, is also associated with a high degree of life-long physical and intellectual disability. This will be invaluable reading for all professionals concerned with diagnosing and treating this syndrome.

Clinics in Developmental Medicine No. 162

Sleep Disturbance in Children and Adolescents with Disorders of Development

Sleep disturbance is extremely common in the various disorders of development, be they physical or psychological in nature. It adds significantly to the burden of care but is a neglected topic and there is no single source of information to guide practice and management. In this book an international team of experts provides for the first time an integrated, comprehensive and up-to-date review of the nature and causes of sleep disorders, describing the special assessment and management considerations for each of the different developmental disorders. The book will be essential reading for all professionals working in the area of developmental disorders, and will also be of considerable interest to teachers, social workers and parents.

Clinics in Developmental Medicine No. 155

Spinal Cord Injury in the Child and Young Adult

Persons with paediatric-onset spinal cord injury also have unique developmental needs. They experience the typical ongoing challenges of each developmental stage (e.g. childhood, adolescence) as well as changes owing to their spinal cord injury.

This book is intended for clinicians of all disciplines, from those who may only occasionally care for youth with spinal cord injury to those who specialize in spinal cord injury, as well as clinical and basic researchers in the spinal cord injury field.

Topics covered include new developments in pediatric spinal cord injury research, current standards for optimal care, areas lacking scientific evidence, and recommendations for clinical practice and future research.

Readership

Developmental paediatricians, paediatric intensivists, paediatricians, orthopaedic surgeons, spine surgeons, neurosurgeons, physiatrists, neurologists, urologists, plastic surgeons, psychologists,  occupational, speech, and physical therapists, biomedical/rehabilitation engineers, nurses,  life care planners, orthotists.

Full Book Review

Read the full book review by Deborah Gaebler Spira published in Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology.

Clinics in Developmental Medicine Series

Neurophysiological Examination of the Newborn lnfant

This book describes the application of neurophysiological examination techniques to the newborn infant, and evaluates their importance in the care of newborn babies.

Clinics in Developmental Medicine N0.120