Developmental Hand Dysfunction: Theory, Assessment, and Treatment

The most caring parents and dedicated therapists will be handicapped without the knowledge in Rhoda Erhardt's second edition of Developmental Hand Dysfunction: Theory, Assessment, and Treatment. This book is the result of the author's many years of experience, training, and research applied to a select group of children over a long period of time. Remediation of upper extremity dysfunction through the therapeutic modalities graphically demonstrated in this manual will allow children's therapists to give their parents the best chances for success in school and in life. The three children with cerebral palsy who were presented in the first edition of the book have grown into adolescence and young adulthood. The Erhardt Developmental Prehension Assessment (EDPA)-the tool used to evaluate their hand function-also has undergone transition and improvement. This second edition describes current theory, assessment, and treatment of prehension in the context of these three case studies that extend over more than 10 years. This text includes:

* normal developmental prehension patterns

* atypical variations of prehension

* the research base and reliability of the EDPA

* a new chapter about current theoretical concepts

* the revised EDPA

* the reproducible EDPA-S, the new short screening form

* extensive evaluation reports, treatment notes, and photographs from the three case studies The importance of hand skills for individuals with cerebral palsy throughout their lifespan is illustrated by a treatment approach emphasizing functional activities in the home, school, and community environments.