"Confused by medical jargon? Bogged down by too many clinical terms? Need some help navigating reports and conversations with your child's physicians, therapists, and educators? Then, reach for The Early Intervention Dictionary, a 'ready reference' that should help parents make sense of information relevant to their child's needs. Following upon two previous editions published in 1993 and 1999, this third edition contains four hundred new entries and carries many more updated entries in order to remain abreast of changing medical, legal, and educational issues. The expanded focus on autism, mental and neurological illnesses, and educational transitioning reflects current interests and needs. At its relatively reasonable price, this dictionary is within most family's means and should prove useful."
-Disability Resources Online
"This edition contains over 4000 terms, including 400 new ones, and encompasses updates on autism disorder, mental illness, neurological issues, and sensory integration dysfunction along with transition from early intervention to special education. The author clarifies frequently used medical, pharmaceutical, therapeutic, educational and psychological terms as well as some very common terms used in this field and provides a starting point for further learning and inquiry. An advisory board an osteopathic medicine physician therapist, occupational therapist and pediatrician compliment the author who is a program director for infant development.
The scope of each definition is restricted to early intervention. A pronunciation key is included. Indication of other pertinent, related definitions and comparative or contrasting references are also presented throughout, as are alternate names in medical and familiar terms. Visuals such as tables or illustrations are not included in the alphabetical definitions, however appendices include growth charts (weight, length and head circumference), a metric conversion chart (pound and ounces to grams, inches to centimeters), an APGAR scoring chart, a referenced nutritional intake/stages of feeding development chart to 18 months and finally a recommended immunization schedule, not referenced.
The author has succeeded in identifying and comprehensively defining early intervention terminology. The definitions are easy to read and indeed multidisciplinary, making it accessible to parents and all professionals. Parents of young children receiving early intervention and occupational therapists in this field will find this dictionary to be a useful daily reference."
-Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, December 2008
"The Early Intervention Dictionary: A Multidisciplinary Guide to Terminology is a great reference tool. Author Jeanine Coleman, MEd, has created a book that defines more than 4,000 medical, therapeutic and educational terms commonly used by the various professionals that are involved in the early intervention field.
Newly expanded and updated, The Early Intervention Dictionary, which won a Bronze Medal in the Reference category in the 2007 Independent Publisher Book Awards, aims to help families and professionals successfully collaborate and understand each others'terminology. It's also useful for anyone looking for clear definitions of words related to the care and development of young children. However, many of the terms in this dictionary apply to age groups that are no longer in need of early intervention services.
The book clarifies many of the more frequently used terms and provides a starting point in the search for more in-depth information. It also provides readers with a better foundation for understanding the early intervention process. Many of the terms in the book are user-friendly it was as if the author asked herself, How could I explain this without using complicated words? She has done this!
In addition to bringing together professionals of various disciplines, Coleman helps the committed early intervention practitioner acquire the information necessary to provide compassionate and effective early intervention services.
This latest edition includes more than 400 new entries, plus hundreds of existing terms that have been updated to reflect changes in the field. Expanded subject areas include "Autism Spectrum Disorders," "Mental Illness and Neurological Issues," "Sensory Integration Dysfunction," and "Transitioning from Early Intervention to Special Education."
In the "Notes to the Reader" section, the author points out a number of noteworthy features.
For example, the book includes the known causes of certain medical and developmental conditions and the entries that describe behavior emergence and skill acquisition include the appropriate age at which these events are likely to occur.
At the end of some listings is a note that refers the reader to additional information under different terms or other entries that contain information on related topics. The author also notes opposities or contrasts of terms and listsd additional formal and informal names of conditions, supplies, and agencies."
-ADVANCE for Speech-Language Pathologists & Audiologists, October 15, 2007
"Early intervention is the educational services and supports provided to families with children, birth to age three, with developmental delays. Early intervention (EI) is a family affair. Successful intervention relies, in part, on communication and collaboration between the family and their EI service providers. The provider is skilled and knowledgeable about child development and a variety of therapies. The family brings their expertise--an in-depth knowledge of their child and his or her diagnosis ('-gnosis-a suffix meaning knowledge,' page 70).
Enter the Early Intervention Dictionary, now in its third edition, with more than 4,000 definitions, ranging from abdominal to zero-reject ('the principle that no child with a disability should be refused a free, appropriate, public education,' page 444). The author, an EI program director in California, has written this dictionary as a tool for both providers and parents so that everyone can literally be on the same page, speak the same language and work together, so children with disabilities or risk factors for developmental delays receive the services they need to be as successful as possible."
-Federation for Children with Special Needs, Newsline, Winter 2007
"The Early Intervention Dictionary--an excellent resource made even better! The 3rd edition adds new terminology to reflect updates in practice, and continues to provide easy-to-understand explanations useful for parents and the variety of professionals who interact with young children with special needs. I love the inclusion of acronyms in the dictionary--it helps make sense of the 'alphabet soup' abbreviations so commonly used in early intervention."
-Cindy Oser, R.N., M.S
Director, ZERO TO THREE Western Office
"The Early Intervention Dictionary is one of the most practical resources to include in your library. It is a comprehensive listing of the terms, words, and phrases one is likely to encounter in reports, textbooks, journal articles, and reference books. You will find what you are looking for and the definitions are easy to understand. It's a definite must-have resource for families and professionals."
-Sarah A. Mulligan, M.Ed., CAE
Executive Director
Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children
