Developmental and Behavioral Complexities in Children: A Guide for Students and Clinicians

Developmental and Behavioral Complexities in Children provides students and young professionals with an understanding of childhood mental health and developmental diagnoses through a series of qualitative vignettes alongside descriptions of clinical diagnoses and an overview of historical changes in the field.

A multidisciplinary, collaborative team of authors offer expertise based on questions received throughout their careers. The authors aim to ease some of the confusion that exists when navigating mixed messages about “typical” development, while providing state of the art information about specific diagnoses and clinical strategies and interventions that can be beneficial for children who may or may not meet criteria for a specific diagnosis.

The book equips clinicians and students with a framework to guide caregivers in learning to decipher complicated messages around childhood developmental and mental health diagnoses and prepare them to support children’s developmental, social, behavioral, and emotional growth.

Jo-Ann Blaymore Bier, MD is a retired developmental-behavioral pediatrician and former special educator, who was a senior associate at Boston Children’s Hospital with board certifications in developmental-behavioral pediatrics and neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Theresa A. Johnson, MS, OTR/L is a registered, licensed occupational therapist at Perkins School for the Blind. She has extensive experience working with children in hospital, developmental clinic, and school settings.

Ellen Mullane, LICSW is a licensed independent clinical social worker who has worked with children and families in the medical setting, developmental clinic, and in the community.