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Understanding the child with a chronic illness in the classroom
Book Reviews
279
The above is true as long as you are working with such things as tangram puzzles which have little to do with academic or social behaviors targeted for change. However, most impulsive students have academic and/or behavioral problems in classroom situations. Kendall and Braswell’s stance in favor of training processes rather than acquisition of content reflects a psychological rather than an educational orientation to the treatment of impulsivity. Until they can demonstrate more definitively that their method results in generalization, however, it is questionable to put such strong emphasis on the training of psychological processes. Given the failure of two other interventions-perceptual-motor training and psythat have emphasized process at the expense of cholinguistic trainingcontent, it would be advisable to use Kendall and Braswell’s techniques with more meaningful academic and social behaviors than tangram puzzles. Even given the above concerns, the book will undoubtedly prove useful to practitioners, especially psychologists. It provides the reader with some useful techniques of demonstrated efficacy for working with impulsive children. And it does so in a relatively readable manner. Daniel P. Hallahan University of Virginia
Understanding the Child with a Chronic Illness in the Classroom Edited by Janet Fithian Phoenix, AR: The Oryx Press, 1984, 245 pp. The United States has seen an evolution in the diagnosis and treatment of illness during the past 50 years. During the first third of the centurv the primary child health concerns evolved around communicable diseases that resulted in very high mortality and impeded the learning process in with the development of modern pharmacologic schools. However, agents, and the invention of vaccines, most of these childhood killers were eliminated. Today in our advanced age of technological medicine and improved methods of disease prevention and health promotion, it is not uncommon for educators to experience a variety of chronic illness within their student population. This book deals with many of the most prevalent chronic illnesses and conditions that the classroom teacher, administrator or special services provider may confront in the schools. Indeed all of the individuals will benefit from the clear and direct manner in which the concepts of each illness are conveyed. Although the text favorably treats the illnesses that are included in its contents, several important childhood conditions have not received significant or adequate discussion. Those conditions include renal diseases, hypertension, and several respiratory illnesses. Likewise, since accidents are the leading cause of death
Book Reviews and disabilit\, in children, and since mat.1); of these disabilities persist ovet the lifetime of the child. lvhile not requnmg enrollment in special classes. it Tvould have been verv helpful and appropriate to have included a chapter on that area. In light of these limitations the book remains a helpful training device and resource for both medical and nonmedical professionals \vho may have a responsibilit!. for interacting lcith children lvho have a chronic disease. Some of those features of the text that are especial]! helpful to the nonmedical professional include: the component on diabetes and esercise, the database sheets for tracking the condition and special needs of the epileptic child, and a similar component related to muscular dvstrophy. ,4lso, the basic format xvith lvhich most chapters are const&ted provides helpful and practical information that school personnel cm utilize for better understanding and responsiveness to each child. The discussions of school life including academic, psychosocial. physical activity, environmental restrictions, suggestions for approaching the child. and specific medical problems that ma\- arise in the classroom are \‘er\ beneficial. In addition, there are verv practical resource sections follol\l ing each chapter. There are several other shortcomings of this text Ivhich require brief identification and discussion. One of the primary roles of an educator is to assist in the prevention of disease and other health conditions. Consequently. it lvould be helpful to have information on how the educators can prevent further complications and/or progression of the disease. Like\\.ise. it wwuld be of help to know how these diseases anti conditions serve as risk factors for other more serious illnesses. .4lso. a clearer presentation on the prevalence of each condition along rvith the factors concerning susceptibility and the probable severit\. of the disease or condition bvould pro\,ide better insight and understanding for the uninformed educator. Lastl!., because individual health behavior is such a significant factor in maintaining and/or improving these conditions, it is unfortunate that there is not a discussion of factors surrounding the promotion of student compliance with prescribed medical regimens. Specificall\. more information on learned helplessness and other attributions acquired through the srudents interaction rvith familv, peers. the media, and health professionals, ~~~ulcl be especially useful’in understanding the forces that influence the adoption of certain beha\& patterns in children. this text does serve a useful Disregarding the noted deficiencies. purpose and w.ould be an important I-~TSOLII~C~ in the school for persons who do not have a formal background in the health sciences.
279
The above is true as long as you are working with such things as tangram puzzles which have little to do with academic or social behaviors targeted for change. However, most impulsive students have academic and/or behavioral problems in classroom situations. Kendall and Braswell’s stance in favor of training processes rather than acquisition of content reflects a psychological rather than an educational orientation to the treatment of impulsivity. Until they can demonstrate more definitively that their method results in generalization, however, it is questionable to put such strong emphasis on the training of psychological processes. Given the failure of two other interventions-perceptual-motor training and psythat have emphasized process at the expense of cholinguistic trainingcontent, it would be advisable to use Kendall and Braswell’s techniques with more meaningful academic and social behaviors than tangram puzzles. Even given the above concerns, the book will undoubtedly prove useful to practitioners, especially psychologists. It provides the reader with some useful techniques of demonstrated efficacy for working with impulsive children. And it does so in a relatively readable manner. Daniel P. Hallahan University of Virginia
Understanding the Child with a Chronic Illness in the Classroom Edited by Janet Fithian Phoenix, AR: The Oryx Press, 1984, 245 pp. The United States has seen an evolution in the diagnosis and treatment of illness during the past 50 years. During the first third of the centurv the primary child health concerns evolved around communicable diseases that resulted in very high mortality and impeded the learning process in with the development of modern pharmacologic schools. However, agents, and the invention of vaccines, most of these childhood killers were eliminated. Today in our advanced age of technological medicine and improved methods of disease prevention and health promotion, it is not uncommon for educators to experience a variety of chronic illness within their student population. This book deals with many of the most prevalent chronic illnesses and conditions that the classroom teacher, administrator or special services provider may confront in the schools. Indeed all of the individuals will benefit from the clear and direct manner in which the concepts of each illness are conveyed. Although the text favorably treats the illnesses that are included in its contents, several important childhood conditions have not received significant or adequate discussion. Those conditions include renal diseases, hypertension, and several respiratory illnesses. Likewise, since accidents are the leading cause of death
Book Reviews and disabilit\, in children, and since mat.1); of these disabilities persist ovet the lifetime of the child. lvhile not requnmg enrollment in special classes. it Tvould have been verv helpful and appropriate to have included a chapter on that area. In light of these limitations the book remains a helpful training device and resource for both medical and nonmedical professionals \vho may have a responsibilit!. for interacting lcith children lvho have a chronic disease. Some of those features of the text that are especial]! helpful to the nonmedical professional include: the component on diabetes and esercise, the database sheets for tracking the condition and special needs of the epileptic child, and a similar component related to muscular dvstrophy. ,4lso, the basic format xvith lvhich most chapters are const&ted provides helpful and practical information that school personnel cm utilize for better understanding and responsiveness to each child. The discussions of school life including academic, psychosocial. physical activity, environmental restrictions, suggestions for approaching the child. and specific medical problems that ma\- arise in the classroom are \‘er\ beneficial. In addition, there are verv practical resource sections follol\l ing each chapter. There are several other shortcomings of this text Ivhich require brief identification and discussion. One of the primary roles of an educator is to assist in the prevention of disease and other health conditions. Consequently. it lvould be helpful to have information on how the educators can prevent further complications and/or progression of the disease. Like\\.ise. it wwuld be of help to know how these diseases anti conditions serve as risk factors for other more serious illnesses. .4lso. a clearer presentation on the prevalence of each condition along rvith the factors concerning susceptibility and the probable severit\. of the disease or condition bvould pro\,ide better insight and understanding for the uninformed educator. Lastl!., because individual health behavior is such a significant factor in maintaining and/or improving these conditions, it is unfortunate that there is not a discussion of factors surrounding the promotion of student compliance with prescribed medical regimens. Specificall\. more information on learned helplessness and other attributions acquired through the srudents interaction rvith familv, peers. the media, and health professionals, ~~~ulcl be especially useful’in understanding the forces that influence the adoption of certain beha\& patterns in children. this text does serve a useful Disregarding the noted deficiencies. purpose and w.ould be an important I-~TSOLII~C~ in the school for persons who do not have a formal background in the health sciences.