Childhood Disability and Family Systems

First published in 1987, this book focuses on childhood disability within the family. It examines the very nature of disability itself, as well as many of the fundamental elements of families. The book was written at a time when the meaning level of disability and its effect on family and society were rapidly changing and people with disabilities were starting to benefit from opportunities to compensate for whatever disabilities they may have had. Modern technology and an affluent society afforded advantages to support many of its disabled members. Contributors examine the contemporary context of disability, the cost of disability to families, ethical, philosophical and social issues underlying the treatment and rehabilitation of children with severe disabilities, and the role of professionals, amongst other topics. This book will be of interest to those involved in teaching, research and direct care with families who have children with disabilities. Although written in the late 80s, the work discusses subjects that are still vital today.

Michael Ferrari, Marvin B. Sussman

Contributors; Editor's Introduction; Part I: Contemporary Context of Disability 1. Childhood Disability: Prevalence and Incidence Inez Marie Fitzgerald 2. Background Forces in Policies for Care and Treatment of Disability Joseph Newman 3. The Economic and Psychosocial Consequences of Disability: Family-Society Relationships Rosalyn Benjamin Darling Part II: Ethical Issues 4. Ethical Considerations Facing Society in Rehabilitating Severely Disabled Persons John H. Noble, Jr. 5. Rights of Children Born with Disabilities: Issues, Inconsistencies, and Recommendations for Advocacy Rob Palkovitz, Christopher B. Wolfe Part III: Family Effects 6. The Family Crisis: Diagnosis of a Severely Disabled Child 7. The Hospitalization of a Child and Family Responses Dene G. Klinzing and Dennis R. Klinzing 8. Family Subsystem Functions and Disabled Children: Some Conceptual Issues Part IV: Care Systems 9. A Typology of Childhood Disorders and Related Support Services James E. Lindemann and Sally J. Lindemann 10. Professional Helpers and Families with Disabled Children: A Social Network Perspective Anne E. Kazak 11. Systems of Care for Disabled Children and Family Members: New Paradigms and Alternatives Penny L. Deiner 12. Services to Families During Three Stages of a Handicapped Person's Life Martha W. Krauss and Janet Z. Giele 13. Analytic Essay: Transformation of Disabilities into Abilities as Portrayed in the Works of Menotti Kris Jeter