Infant and Early Childhood Neuropsychology

Clinical neuropsychology for infants and young children is an emerging field that contains as much promise as it does perplexing practical and theoretical questions. Infant and Early Childhood Neuropsychology is a groundbreaking study that provides an assessment framework and diagnostic clues for clinicians and researchers, as well as the first documentation and description of this new field for students. The clearly written text translates neuroanatomic issues into clinical applications for professionals charged with making neuropsychological assessments of infants and young children.

Contenu

1. What Is Infant and Early Childhood Neuropsychology?.- Timeliness of the Subspecialty.- Applications.- Definitions.- Early CNS Damage.- Conceptual Frameworks.- Scoring in Infant and Early Childhood Neuropsychology.- Summary.- 2. The Concept of Risk in Infant and Early Childhood Neuropsychology.- Environmental Issues that Affect Neuropsychological Outcomes.- Implications.- 3. Development of the Central Nervous System.- Critical and Sensitive Periods.- CNS Maturation.- Principles of Neural Development.- Major Developmental Events in CNS Maturation.- Brain Metabolism.- Myelination Rules.- Neuropsychological Implications.- Functional Organization.- Types of Synapses.- 4. Disorders in Brain Development.- Early Brain Malformations.- Perinatal Insults.- Infections of the CNS.- Other Teratogens Affecting the CNS.- Summary.- 5. Assessment.- Delay, Dissociation, and Deviance.- Evaluation Matrix.- Examples.- Developmental Bias.- Newborn/Neonatal Assessment.- Infant Assessment.- Early Childhood Assessment.- Summary.- 6. Further Assessment Considerations.- Other Assessment Instruments.- Diagnostic Indicators.- 7. Directions.- New Directions for Assessment.- Training Issues.- References.