Families of children with special health needs frequently cite difficulties in their communications with physicians and other medical professionals. Indeed, parents of high-risk, chronically ill, and disabled infants often regard interactions with health care providers as one of the most stressful parts of their early experiences with their children.This volume was designed to present a variety of medical education approaches used to overcome this problem. After providing an overview of some of the difficulties faced by physicians and families of children with special health needs in their interactions with one another, the volume examines a number of useful medical education models. The models and viewpoints presented include those of physicians, early intervention professionals, professionals with backgrounds in education, psychology, and sociology, and parents. This volume is invaluable to those involved in designing and evaluating medical education approaches, and those developing public policy for children and the family.

A survey of approaches designed to improve family-medicial interactions.

Foreword by Merle McPherson and Bonnie StricklandIntroduction: The Need to Teach the Family's Perspective to Physicians by Rosalyn Benjamin DarlingThe Family's PerspectiveCollaboration Defined Mathematically by Florence Stewart PoyadueThe Miracle of Michael by Sharon L. SpanoThe Challenge of Communication with Parents by Stanley KleinModels of Health Provider Education Preservice ModelsA First Year Medical Student Curriculum about Family Views of Chronic and Disabling Conditions by Judy Lewis and Robert M. GreensteinParents as Educators of Medical Students by Nancy J. DiVenereGraduate Medical Education in Pediatrics: Preparing Reliable Allies for Parents of Children with Special Health Care Needs by W. Carl CooleyContinuing Education ModelsPreparing Physicians through Continuing Medical Education by Margo I. Peter and Calvin C. J. SiaOvercoming Obstacles to Early Intervention Referral: The Development of a Video-Based Training Model for Community Physicians by Rosalyn Benjamin DarlingWhat Do Physicians Want to Know?: A Statewide Survey Report of Physicians' Needs for Information about Early Intervention by Francine Gortler Scott and Corinne W. GarlandDirections in Medical Education and Family-Centered Care: Prospects for the Nineties and BeyondHealth Care for Children with Disabilities: A Contemporary View by Alfred HealyConclusion: Building on Existing Models to Expand Training Opportunities in the Future by Margo I. Peter and Rosalyn Benjamin DarlingResource ListIndex