Dixon and Stein's Encounters with Children

Jenny Radesky, M.D. is a Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Michigan Medical School. Dr. Radesky's research focuses on family digital media use, child social-emotional development, and parent-child interaction. She uses a combination of observational, qualitative, and passive sensing methods to examine how parents and young children use mobile media throughout daily routines. Dr. Radesky authored the 2016 American Academy of Pediatrics digital media guidelines for young children. https://www.pbs.org/parents/authors/jenny-radesky-md and Twitter: @jennyradesky Associate Professor Caroline Kistin works at the Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute, Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice at Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, USA

4 Stars! "This is revised, superb, detailed, and well-written text about pediatric behavior and development. It is a resource for child health clinicians at all levels of training and practice that increases knowledge, supports meaningful engagement with patients and families, and deepens the enjoyment and understanding of clinical development and behavioral medicine.... The purpose of this clinically relevant edition is to provide state-of-the-art information about behavioral and development medicine for clinical trainees and practitioners at all levels of training. The objectives are worthy and are met at a very high level by this text.... This is a state-of-the-art, detailed, clinically relevant, comprehensive book about pediatric developmental and behavioral medicine. The information provided is current, thorough, and clinically helpful for clinicians and trainees at all levels of training. This is highly recommended and should be available wherever developmental care is provided to pediatric and young adult patients, including clinics, offices, and hospital floors." Review by Joseph Hageman, MD (Evanston Hospital), ©Doody's Review Service, 2025. Doody's Score: 91, 4 Stars!"...fulfils its objective of leading the readers to apply age/stage appropriate approaches at each encounters with children. The clinicians spend several years training to achieve the maturity to be able to comprehensively understand the child’s perspective.... This book is unique in setting the scenes for each encounter rendering practical guidance on how-to-approach at each stage of the child’s life, thereby bringing the children’s perspectives to the fore. [Also] goes up to discuss childhood depression, digital and social media, educational opportunity, bullying and much more. The included eBook version allows access to all of the text, which may also be read aloud! In summary, I would like to say this book approaches child development in altogether novel manner; makes reading it a pleasure while guiding the learners well." - Dr Neel Kamal, BACCH Newsletter, 2025Review of the Previous edition: "Lovely and practical summary of child development" -NEJM 2006"Unique in its blending of theory and practical advice and its sensitivity to families and their important role in the child’s development... In their 4th edition of Encounters with Children, Drs. Dixon and Stein have retained all that was wonderful about the previous editions while adding more than 150 pages of new material… This book continues to be my favourite child development book." -Dr. Linda S. Grossman, Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics. 28(6):437, December 2007.

• 1. The Importance of Child Behavior and Development in Life Course Health2. Understanding Children: Theories, Concepts, and Insights3. Preparing Your Practice for Socially and Emotionally Responsive Care4. Use of Drawing by Children at Health Encounters5. The Prenatal Period: Understanding Parent Stress, Mental Health, and Attachment6. The Newborn: Meeting the Infant7. Neonatal Intensive Care Units: Special Issues for Medically Vulnerable Infants8. First Days at Home: Making a Place in the Family9. One to Two Months: Adjusting to the World10. Three to Four Months: Smiles and Laughs11. Six Months: Reaching Out12. Eight to Nine Months: Exploring and Clinging13. One Year: One Giant Step Forward14. Fifteen to Eighteen Months: Declaring Independence and Pushing the Limits15. Two Years: Language Leaps16. Three Years: Emergence of Magic17. Four Years: Clearer Sense of Self18. Five Years: Opening the School Door19. Six to Seven Years: Reading, Relationships, and Playing by the Rules20. Seven to 10 Years: The World of Middle Childhood21. Eleven to 14 Years: Early Adolescence-Age of Rapid Changes22. Fifteen to Seventeen Years: Mid-Adolescence-Redefining Self23. Seventeen to Twenty-One Years: Transition to Adulthood24. Specific Considerations: Families Impacted by Incarceration and the Criminal Legal System25. Encounters With Illness: Coping and Growing26. Stressful Events: Separation, Loss, Violence, and Death27. Resources for Families: An Annotated Bibliography