The primary physician's role in care for developmentally handicapped children

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Family Medicine
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Growing emphasis on the needs and rights of individuals with disabilities has transformed care.
• Primary physicians play a crucial role in identifying disabled children and supporting their families.
• Physician training in this area is a recent development in medical education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the role and perception of primary care physicians in managing handicapped children.
• To identify areas of parental dissatisfaction regarding physician care for disabled children.
• To inform future physician training initiatives.

Main Methods:

• Survey of family physicians and pediatricians in Arizona.
• Survey of parents of handicapped children.
• Analysis of physician roles, perceptions, and areas of concern.

Main Results:

• Primary physicians regularly encounter handicapped children and generally perceive their role accurately.
• Screening for disabilities and counseling families emerge as significant challenges.
• Parental dissatisfaction is linked to shortcomings in screening and counseling.

Conclusions:

• Physician training must address identified gaps in screening and family counseling for disabled children.
• Improving these areas can enhance parental satisfaction and care quality.
• Further research should explore effective training strategies.