Child psychiatry education in early child development: description of a training program

Career training in child psychiatry, though provided from a developmental perspective, often lacks opportunity for directly observing normally developing infants. This paper describes a training program in which child psychiatry fellows, in collaboration with residents in pediatrics, follow a young couple and their first child from the third trimester of pregnancy through infancy and early childhood. Case illustrations and discussion of approximately 10 years' experience demonstrate how the program can enhance understanding of normal child development, development of the nuclear family, liaison between child psychiatrist and pediatrician and early detection of psychopathology in infants.