The Charing Cross Hospital Child Development Centre: a description of its work ad an evaluation of its first 385 patients

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Child Development
• Developmental Disabilities

Background:

• Charing Cross Hospital's Child Development Centre offers specialized facilities.
• A normal nursery setting is utilized for assessing handicapped children.
• The center focuses on comprehensive patient evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of prolonged assessment periods for handicapped children.
• To discuss the advantages of extended observation in a nursery environment.
• To present findings from the initial 385 patients evaluated.

Main Methods:

• Assessment periods ranging from one day to three weeks.
• Observation of children within a normal nursery setting.
• Review of data from the first 385 patients at the Child Development Centre.

Main Results:

• Prolonged assessment offers significant advantages for understanding child development.
• Parental involvement and support are crucial components of the assessment process.
• The center serves as a valuable teaching resource for medical students.

Conclusions:

• Extended assessment periods enhance the evaluation of handicapped children.
• Integrated parental support and medical education are key to successful child development programs.
• The Charing Cross Hospital Child Development Centre demonstrates a successful model for pediatric assessment.