Psychological process in deaf children with complex needs: an evidence-based practical guide. Lindsey Edwards and Susan Crocker, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London, 2008, 204pp, ISBN 9781843104148

Abstract

This book considers deaf children with complex needs with clarity and sensitivity, taking account of the political and cultural issues involved. Divided into eight chapters, it looks at various needs and the considerations involved when working with these deaf children.The preface sets the tone and presents the many issues involved in dealing with deaf children with complex needs. Chapter one details the experience of diagnosis and gives a picture of the situation faced by children and their families. This prepares the reader well for reading the rest of the book. The role of the psychologist is considered in a perceptive and refl ective way. It is clear from the discussion of the impact of diagnosis on various members of the family that the systems around the child are taken into account. It also details different kinds of tests and different types of hearing loss and there is a clear presentation of the Deaf community.Chapters 2-7 discuss specifi c complex needs and how these can be addressed. These include behavioural and emotional disorders; self-concept, self-esteem and the development of identity; specifi c learning diffi culties; disorders of communication; paediatric cochlear implantation and tinnitus. A clear explanation is given of these needs and the complexities of dealing with them in deaf children are carefully considered. The relevant assessment techniques and their application to deaf children are also described. The practical use of this book is heightened further by a number of suggested questions to gain useful information on the history of the child, with relevant areas for each of these needs targeted. The book is accessible throughout and clearly presented. This is enhanced by the use of case studies to illustrate the complexities involved.The fi nal chapter considers the professional issues that need to be considered within the political context, highlighting the need for fl exibility and emphasising that one size does not fi t all. There is an informed discussion of the training implications that have led to the need for this text and the ethical issues involved.This book has carefully identifi ed a gap in the literature for psychologists dealing with these issues. The clear presentation makes it a good reference Deafness and Education International