The hospitalization of children with developmental disorders.
Hospitalization is a difficult experience for a normal child. The hospitalization of a developmentally disabled child can be especially traumatic, both for the child who can not understand what is happening to him and for hospital personnel who are unaccustomed to dealing with such children. This article discusses the hospitalization of children with developmental disorders using the theoretical perspective of developmental psychology. The following issues are considered: 1) Does the child's disorder represent a delayed or a deviant course of development?, 2) Is the child's deficit global, affecting all areas of functioning, or specific, limited to one area?, and 3) Does a disorder early in development necessarily predict later problems, or are children able to compensate for certain deficits? Suggestions for improving the care of children with developmental disorders in hospitals are offered based on research and clinical observations.
D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000523:psychology*; D002658:Developmental Disabilities; D006801:Humans; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*