Child Maltreatment Assessment: Volume 3 - Investigation, Care, and Prevention

Description:

Child Maltreatment Assessment Volume 3 aims to help readers recognize and comprehend the procedures for the investigation, care, and prevention of child maltreatment.

Brief description: Debra Esernio-Jenssen, MD is currently working at Lehigh Valley Reilly Children's Hospital in the field of Child Protective Medicine. In 2009 she was certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in Child Abuse Pediatrics. From 1998 to April 2010, she was the Director of the Child Protection Center at Schneider Children's Hospital and the Chair of the Child Protection Consultation Team at Long Island Jewish Hospital in New Hyde Park, New York. She graduated from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in 1982 and completed her pediatric residency at North Shore University in Manhasset, NY where she was selected to be Chief Resident in Pediatrics in 1985. In 2007, she was invited to join the Ray Helfer Society. She is a member of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children and has a special interest in prevention. Debra has also produced a domestic violence and abusive head trauma public service announcement that has been shown on the big screen before every University of Florida home football game. Debra is recognized both nationally and internationally for her work in child abuse and child abuse prevention.

Review Quotes:

The occurrence of child maltreatment remains a pervasive public health challenge. Often, children remain as "invisible victims" who live in the shadow of their abuse and neglect. As such, it is imperative for clinicians to understand the foundational facets of targeted and sensitive assessment, as well as appropriate intervention and referral. Children, as they rapidly move through growth and development, require the clinician to provide trauma related care that is age appropriate and that promotes on time bio-psycho-social progression. This textbook provides a multidimensional and interdisciplinary approach toward increased awareness, expanded assessment, and recommendations for treatment for this very vulnerable population of children. Additionally, the strategic use of case studies in the Photographic Atlas section provides for the ability of the reader to immediately translate the provided information toward enhancing safe and effective clinical practice. Child Maltreatment Assessment: Investigation, Care, and Prevention provides a solid foundational overview of the significant facets of assessment along the continuum of identification of child abuse and implementation of related strategies for safety and integration of the trauma. This is an excellent addition to any clinician's library of resources.

This text provides thorough, start-to-finish approaches for all professionals that work with children who have experienced maltreatment. It is clear that Drs. Esernio-Jenssen, Alexander, and Doshi intentionally set the stage for authors to present traditional and novel evidence-based information related to the etiology, prevention, treatment, and reporting of various types of abuse. These authors comprehensively consider the short- and long-term effects of maltreatment, including what we now know about the neurobiology of trauma, all while addressing strategies to provide patient- and family-centered care. In addition, and unique to this text, chapters provide case studies and photographs for discussion that clearly depict authentic situations and lead to deeper understandings of realistic practice implications. This assessment is a must-read for all who aim to remedy the epidemic of child maltreatment!

The Child Maltreatment Assessment series, a new 3-volume-workbook series should be a welcomed addition to both individual and institutional libraries as an authoritarian compendium that promises to be an invaluable resource for health care professionals as well as the disciplines of child protection, mental health, and law enforcement. The chapters that I had the pleasure of reviewing were thorough, well-written, and provided an easy-to-understand overview of complicated topical issues. The integration of a case-based format should in turn be of great practical value to the reader. There should be little doubt that the distinguished editors, Drs. Debra Esernio-Jenssen, Randell Alexander, and Ruchita Doshi have artfully selected both traditional and emerging topics contributed by well recognized authorities in the field. I look forward to adding this text to my library.