Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
managers, to establish a diagnosis and determine the best treatment plan for these
conditions. This incorporated teamwork then enables more effective communication,
guidance, and support for the family, teachers, and school community, facilitating
instruction about the best educational strategies and ways of handling the child's special
needs and behavioral challenges.
Development is procedural; thus, the team's longitudinal follow-up of the child ensures
that progress is being assessed and goals are being adjusted to his/her potential, interests,
and the needs that change over time.
Every approach to rehabilitation should aim at promoting independence and expanding
the child's ability to interact with the world. It is important to acknowledge (1) the child
as an individual person in a process of development, with unique interests and potential;
(2) the fundamental partnership and role of the family; and (3) the value of sociocultural
contexts for the child's development and inclusion.
12.2 Pediatric Specialists in Assistive Solutions
Studies have shown that interdisciplinary team approaches are more effective in
the rehabilitation process (Bakeit 1996; Körner 2010), especially with regards to the
implementation of assistive solutions (Stoner et al. 2010). AT services and tools are
important for fostering and maximizing the development and/or rehabilitation of
children with impairments. For an effective assistive solution, this technology should be
applied in a functional manner aimed at improving the child's abilities and expanding
his/her potential for social interaction with surroundings and community (Scherer
et al. 2011).
Children with disabilities in early childhood may have impairments that linger
throughout life and change as the child grows and develops (Warzak et al. 1995; Cattelani
1998). These changes can be characterized by the learning of new skills as well as an early
loss of performance when the child reaches adolescence or adulthood (Bottos et al. 2001;
Strauss et al. 2004). Over time, the use of AT resources can also be valuable for helping
people with disabilities acquire or maintain independence (Wilson et al. 2009).
Three aspects that should be highlighted when studying the application of assistive
solutions are the participation of the interdisciplinary team; the solutions proposed in
the context of the binomial child-family; and, particularly, these approaches in the child's
learning process. Because of the importance of these aspects, their main characteristics
will be described next.
12.3 Assistive Solutions and the Interdisciplinary Team Approach
Given the great variation of motor, cognitive, communication, and sensorial disorders
that a child with disabilities may have, and the diverse social and cultural circumstances
involved, it is evident that individualized goals should be adopted, avoiding fragmented
and one-size-fits-all approaches. Therefore, a thorough assessment by the team of pediatric
specialists should precede the introduction of any AT tools. It is important to investigate
