Citation

Drotar D, Malone C, Negray J. Child Abuse Negl. 1980; 4(1): 23-31.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1980, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Objective assessment of intellectual development has an important role in diagnosis and treatment of infants and young children with environmentally based failure to thrive. Clinical experiences in a pediatric hospital are presented which illustrate the way intellectual assessment can be used to diagnose the impact of deprivation, aid parent-infant interaction, suggest strategies for remediation and assess the therapeutic effectiveness of environmental change. Repeated intellectual assessments provide an objective means of gauging the effectiveness of treatment during hospitalization and follow up periods. Since many infants who fail to thrive initially present with behavioral deficits which can affect their test performance, intellectual assessment of these children should involve careful observation of their social responsiveness and approach to test materials. Analysis of the patterns of the child's intellectual strengths and deficits is much more helpful for treatment planning than global intelligence level alone. In addition, parental observation of the testing, particularly if accompanied by sensitive explanation from the examiner, can help familiarize parents with their child's abilities and deficits.Optimal utilization of psychological assessment on a pediatric inpatient service requires a high level of psychologist visibility to sensitize staff to the potential importance of cognitive assessment in the treatment planning. Weekly teaching rounds in which the staff observes intellectual assessment of children who fail to thrive provide a useful means of facilitating the close interdisciplinary collaboration so necessary for effective treatment of this difficult problem.