Mac Keith Press - Böcker

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.

Disabled children often have feeding difficulty. Choking, food spillage and protracted mealtimes can pose enormous problems for their carers and the accompanying nutritional deficit imposes additional burdens on the affected child. The aetiology of these problems is placed in context by a detailed description of normal feeding development in infants. The often under-recognised nutritional and neurodevelopmental consequences of inadequate nutrient intake together with the respiratory complications and the important problems of constipation and drooling which may accompany oro-motor dysfunction are detailed. The clinical and nutritional assessment and the application of diagnostic imaging techniques in the evaluation of such children are described. The methods of management of these children's problems form the core of this volume and they range from oro-motor therapy to various techniques for enteral feeding. The ethical issues raised by the vigorous intervention needed to improve the nutritional state of severely disabled children is explored, together with the need to provide ongoing psychological support for their carers.

The central focus of this book is the development of skilled motor actions by children; commonplace but vital actions such as maintaining posture, walking, reaching and grasping, and manipulating objects and tools. It represents a state-of-the art report on motor development linking neurophysiological and neuropsychological approaches. Using examples from both normal and pathological development, contributions study pre and postnatal brain development and its relationship to movement, the importance of fetal movements, postural control in children, the neurobiology of locomotor development, neural mechanisms of grasping and typical patterns of behavioural change. New theoretical developments including adaptive model theory, dynamic systems theory, and the relationship between variability and stability in skill development are also critically reviewed.

This is a very practical book on the value of behavioural techniques in the treatment of children with various disorders including hyperactivity, conduct problems, autism and communication difficulties. Written by an international group of experts, it will provide practitioners in the field with a clear picture of the value of behavioural methodology. It also stresses the necessary assessment and evaluation procedures required in order to implement the techniques appropriately.

Clinics in Developmental Medicine No. 147 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.