Infant Mental Health

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses infant mental health. It expands on the ability to assess issues relating to infant mental health as opposed to the dynamic changes in child development or normal aggression, for example, in a 4 year old. The paper also focuses on career opportunities for the Developmental Specialist working within a pediatric or clinic setting.

From the Paper:

"Unfortunately, although a common assumption from years ago, still today many individuals - both practitioners and parents - still believe that infants do not have the capacity to feel pain, emotion or experience dysfunction related to mental health psychopathology (Frankel, Boyum & Harmon, 2004). Gradually, the literature and research is proving these individuals wrong. However, the onus is still on the practitioner to identify these issues in infants and children 5 years of age and younger within their care based on isolated 15-20 minute visits without having the proper training to do so (Minde, Tidmarsh & Hughes, 2001). Additionally, most of the time the practitioner spends those 15-20 minutes assessing sources of physical health or pathology (Minde, Tidmarsh & Hughes, 2001). Most children are not scheduled for all of their well-baby care visits which can further complicate the problems associated with trying to assess infant mental health. According to Keren, Feldman and Tyano (2001) "defining symptoms and ..."

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