Developmental-Behavioral Disorders: Selected Topics (Critical Issues in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics)

We are most pleased to present Volume 3 of Developmental-Behavioral Disorders: Selected Topics, designed to serve as a companion for standard reference textbooks that address cogent issues in developmental pedi­ atrics. Periodic publications such as Selected Topics and theme-related articles, as well as continuing education programs, attempt to supple­ ment in a timely fashion the rapidly changing knowledge base in devel­ opmental-behavioral pediatrics. These media are important as forums for enhancing the quality of clinical practice, teaching skills, and re­ search activities. The need is critical for periodically disseminating and updating information about issues in developmental medicine, in as much as this field of study continues to expand at a meteoric pace. During the past several decades, developmental medicine has been recognized as a defined subspecialty in pediatrics. The spectrum of problems encompassed by this discipline is relatively broad and at times clinically overwhelming. The ultimate goal of preventing delays, disor­ ders, and/or dysfunctions from becoming chronic handicapping condi­ tions has, by volume per se, created clinical dilemmas for pediatric health care providers. There are numerous facets of providing efficient and effective care, which in the field of developmental-behavioral pediatrics are often exaggerated impediments to the delivery of services by pri­ mary health care specialists, e. g. , time, clinical skills, need for inter­ disciplinary management, medical-legal responsibilities, financial reim­ bursements. These issues, as well as clinical problems, are still very much part of the information base to be disseminated to concerned pro­ fessionals.