Help for the Hopeless Child: A Guide for Families (With Special Discussion for Assessing and Treating the Post-Institutionalized Child), Second Edition [Paperback]

Ronald S. Federici (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 29, 2003

This SECOND EDITION of Dr. Federici's book, Help for the Hopeless Child, A Guide for Families (with Special Discussion for Assessing and Treating the Post-Institutionalized Child) has expanded text and updated adoption figures, intensive family treatment program and multi-discipline interventions. Additional discussion regarding more complex child developmental disorders.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Dr. Ronald S. Federici & Associates; 2nd edition (August 29, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966710118
• ISBN-13: 978-0966710113
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #237,466 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The book to buy--if things seem truly "hopeless"!, February 22, 2004

By 

"ronfaithadopt" (Ann Arbor, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Help for the Hopeless Child: A Guide for Families (With Special Discussion for Assessing and Treating the Post-Institutionalized Child), Second Edition (Paperback)

Dr. Federici has been "in the trenches", as a mental health professional dealing with children with problematic behaviors, and as the adoptive parent of post-institutionalized kids. For this reason alone, his book, and his tough treatment program, deserves serious consideration for anyone dealing with a seriously out of control child. Having said this, I am actually glad we didn't read his book before adopting our child from Ukraine, who was indeed seriously out out control the first few months. Although we followed some of the recommendations that are mentioned in his book (many of them have been on the web in various forms for some time), I can't claim to have kept within arm's length of our son for six weeks, and we didn't strip his room or keep him off the TV or from outside activities. There are many kids adopted from East Eurpean countries (I suspect more than the percentage quoted by Federici) who adapt relatively easily to family life. This book is clearly not intended for parents of those kids, although virtually anyone adopting children from insitutionalilzed settings will glean important information and insights from the book.
There are grammatical and spelling errors throughout the book, and the editorially inclined may be tempted to bring out the red pen. But this is a minor criticism of an otherwise wonderful book, which will be truly a "life raft" for parents of out of control children.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very helpful read!, May 13, 2010

By 

Christine L. Prange-morgan (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Help for the Hopeless Child: A Guide for Families (With Special Discussion for Assessing and Treating the Post-Institutionalized Child), Second Edition (Paperback)

We read this book before visiting Dr. Federici for help with our son. It was very helpful in gaining a perspective on the various complexities involved in parenting a child with an institutional background (and adopted internationally). Kids adopted internationally DO present with multidimentional problems stemming from trauma, neglect, abuse, neurological issues, cognitive delays, potential physical manifestations, etc., and Dr. Federici does a great job of outlining how these things effect children prior to, and after their adoption. In addition, getting to know Dr. Federici personally through the evaluation of our son has shown us that he has a real passion for his work and really cares about these kids. His sense for the complexities involved in evaluating and treating these kids is a real gift.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST FOR PARENTS OF INTERNATIONALLY ADOPTED CHILDREN, March 8, 2007

By 

Julie Mauck "Shiny Kids" (Knoxville, TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Help for the Hopeless Child: A Guide for Families (With Special Discussion for Assessing and Treating the Post-Institutionalized Child), Second Edition (Paperback)

We have twin sons that we adopted from Bulgaria at 2 years old in '04. One has more behavioral issues than the other, and the other has more developmental delays. I had lost sympathy for my little defiant, destructive, tantrum-throwing, whining, fellow until I read this book. It helped me to understand that his issues aren't just behavioral, but neurological, in nature. It has also given us the guidance we needed to ask educated questions of his psychiatrist to get a more accurate diagnosis and plan for the future. I will recommend it to all of his teachers and behavioral specialists that will deal with him on a regular basis. Most importantly, my heart has softened once again for that little undernourished, deprived orphan that we brought home not too long ago. There's a sweet, scared boy under those bristles.