Family-Focused Behavioral Pediatrics

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Summary: The family in pediatric paractice
Review: "Family-Focused Behavioral Pediatrics" by Dr. William L. Coleman brings a fresh perspective to the health care of children. Understanding the role of a family history and current living conditions has always been an important part of pediatric care. Dr. Coleman takes it a giant step further by proposing that pediatricians (and family physicians and nurse practitioners) can learn clinical techniques that enhance problem solving while shifting care from child-focused to family-focused interactions.

The foundation of the book reflects a blending of pediatrics and family therapy. The author is quick to point out that there are at 5 different levels of participation in this new model of care depending on the clinician's experience and comfort level. Beginning with the biomedical model of care with minimal emphasis on the family, Dr. Coleman suggests that the next level is a family conference limited to a medical condition. Most clinical practices include these strategies. The next levels, in order of sophistication, are family meeting about medical problems and family communication/interactions, systematic family assessment with planned interventions, and family therapy.

For each level of care, Dr. Coleman provides examples with clinical cases from his own practice that pediatric clinicians will recognize. In many case illustrations it becomes clear how a family-focused intervention enhances the quality of care. Practical strategies for interviewing a family are discussed in a manner that can be grasped quickly by pediatricians. The writing style is "pediatric-friendly" in that the author uses descriptions to define a concept rather than relying on psychological or family-systems terminology.

I agree with the observations of Dr. Bart Schmitt who wrote in the forward that the application of the ideas in this book should bring to clinical practice the following attributes:
1. an increase comfort level with family disagreements and parent problems;
2. rediscovery of the power of words;
3. increased creativity in interventions;
4. improved ability to help families find and utilize their strengths;
5. doubled therapeutic impact; and
6. increased person job satisfaction.

I have practiced pediatrics for 30 years and thought that I incorporated a family-focus in my care of children and families. The ideas and cases in this book gave me many new ideas in my approach to a variety of clinical problems. It is a book for all clinicians who work with children, adolescents and their families.

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Summary: family-focused is also family friendly
Review: "Family-Focused Behavioral Pediatrics," by Dr. William Lord Coleman, brings insightful knowledge and compassion to the clinical world of behavioral science. This text is invaluable to the resident, and, or, Dr. of any field. Dr. Coleman's passion for helping our children is instilled in his approach. Providing the reader with not only a proven formula for success, but more importantly, by example, Dr. Coleman shows the clinician how to set the example for the family unit on the importance of listening, understanding, and the unity shared by a group when the group takes responsibility for the individual member - working, sharing together for the embetterment of the family. Not just the singling out of one troubled child. HOWEVER, HERE IS THE BEST PART OF THIS BOOK - Like myself, any father, husband(or Mother, wife, of course) can read this book and instantly grasp the genius of Dr. Coleman's work without a Dr.'s vocabulary,(though I did have to go to the dictionary a few times). He has truly written this modern approach with the people he helps in mind. This book is for us as well. The examples and models of family discussion he offers have been invaluable to my family in bringing us together as a family unit. There is no longer any blame being felt by our child - we just focus on understanding and listening to ALL family members (We have two children) as equals with equal wants and dissappointments. Then we work together (using Dr. Coleman's examples) to solve the current family issue. My only reccommendation to the non-medical professional person using this book as the invaluable self-help tool that it doubles as, is to still make use of your behavioral Dr., or counselor. An impartial, professional mediator (using Dr. Coleman's 'Family-Focused' method) is necessary in helping build the trust in the child that it is OK to share with one another openly, without fear of parental authority. This book is the real truth of "Family Values," buy it, use it, and you will come to understand the value of family unity, and learn ways to bring about positive change - for the whole family.

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Summary: Dr. Coleman Gives Inside Scoop on Working with Families
Review: Dr. Coleman's book gives a vivid and practical approach for understanding families and how families influence all aspects of a child's health and life. He then takes the next step and gives wonderful ideas about how to incorporate that insight into pediatric care. I really enjoyed the "fly on the wall" perspective and could observe an expert handle situations I would find challenging. This book is helpful for trainees but also for more experienced pediatricians who are looking for a way to connect in more meaningful ways with children and their families.

Rating:
Summary: Dr. Coleman Gives Inside Scoop on Working with Families
Review: Dr. Coleman's book gives a vivid and practical approach for understanding families and how families influence all aspects of a child's health and life. He then takes the next step and gives wonderful ideas about how to incorporate that insight into pediatric care. I really enjoyed the "fly on the wall" perspective and could observe an expert handle situations I would find challenging. This book is helpful for trainees but also for more experienced pediatricians who are looking for a way to connect in more meaningful ways with children and their families.

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Summary: Great Reference for Every Pediatrician
Review: Dr. Coleman's book is a must for clinicians working with children and their families. His insight and sensible approach to many commonly encountered pediatric behavioral problems are presented in an easy to read format that any busy clinician would find practical. Its family focused perspective is sure to add a new and rewarding characteristic to the work of those clinicians caring for children. It is a worthwhile addition to any pediatric library.

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Summary: Practical Help for Common Family Interaction Pitfalls
Review: Dr. Coleman's book, Family-Focused Behavioral Pediatrics,is a small book only in size. There is an incredible depth of information covered about interviewing families, actively listening to their words and the dynamics generating those words, helping the individuals to create their own solutions and feel an increased sense of accomplishment.Any professional interacting with families will find information immediately useful to their work as the book emphasizes using the resources within each family member as well as within the dynamics among the members to improve family functioning.
There is an excellent subject index in the back of the book making this book very "user friendly" for quick reference and many resources are provided for additional information and training.
Highly recommended for physicians, social workers, psychologists, educators, allied health professionals, attorneys, clergy, laypeople, or anyone else who is interested in ways to help families improve communication and begin creating solutions to family problems.

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Summary: Rejuvenate Your Practice
Review: Outstanding! Dr. Coleman's handbook is a timely and comprehensive resource that anyone in family or pediatric care will be delighted to discover. This book helps the caregiver evaluate and manage behavioral and interactional problems from a family-oriented approach. The skills are easily learned with great examples and strategies, and can be applied in clinic the same day. After reading this book you will know how to identify problems suitable for family-oriented approach, conduct family meetings, help families cooperate and develop adaptive behaviors, deal with disappointments and difficult families, make mental health referrals, and code and document for reimbursement. Personally, the concepts and lessons in this book have revitalized my own vision of the practice of pediatrics.

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Summary: Wonderful resource for pediatric caregivers
Review: This book is an extremely valuable resource for the pediatric professional!! Using Dr. Coleman's methods, providers learn how to draw out families and include them in the diagnostic and therapeutic process. Not only will patient relationships be enriched, but the entire experience of practicing medicine is more meaningful.
This book gives the reader a step-by-step plan for including the family perspective in pediatric care. There are case examples, a chapter on billing, and a crash-course in family therapy. It will not gather dust on your shelf and is worth the investment! I'm sending a copy to my own pediatrician!