Habilitation of Patients with Congenital Malformations Associated with Thalidomide: Medical-Social Aspects

The area of particular competence of the social worker in the habilitation of the congenitally malformed is in the social development of the child. It is an interest which continues throughout all stages of growth and development: (1) During the preschool and early life, the first consideration is to minimize or eliminate the disability. The social worker plays a supporting role to the doctor. (2) The middle years of growth are centred around the problems of education. The social worker plays an interpretative role with respect to family, school, and doctor. (3) For the adolescent and young adult the contact with the disabled person is more direct. The individual must face and solve his own problems and learn to become an independent adult. Throughout the entire development the doctor, social worker, and teacher are dependent each on the other.