Touchpoints-Birth to Three [Paperback]

T. Berry Brazelton (Author), Joshua D. Sparrow (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 26, 2006 | ISBN-10: 0738210498 | ISBN-13: 978-0738210490 | Edition: Second Edition

All over the U.S. and in over twenty countries around the world, Touchpoints has become required reading for anxious parents of babies and small children. T. Berry Brazelton's great empathy for the universal concerns of parenthood, and honesty about the complex feelings it engenders, as well as his uncanny insight into the predictable leaps and regressions of early childhood, have comforted and supported families since its publication in 1992. In this completely revised edition Dr. Brazelton introduces new information on physical, emotional, and behavioral development. He also addresses the new stresses on families and fears of children, with a fresh focus on the role of fathers and other caregivers. This updated volume also offers new insights on prematurity, sleep patterns, early communication, toilet training, co-sleeping, play and learning, SIDS, cognitive development and signs of developmental delay, childcare, asthma, a child's immune system, and safety. Dr. Sparrow, Brazelton's co-author on several other books, brings a child psychiatrist's insights into the many perennial childhood issues covered in this comprehensive book. No parent should be without the reassurance and wisdom Touchpoints provides.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Little Rock Family, February 2010
“[Brazelton’s] advice is timeless.”

 

Warwick Beacon, 8/19/10

“Should be required reading for any prospective parents or child daycare providers.”

About the Author

T. Berry Brazelton, M.D., founder of the Child Development Unit at Children's Hospital Boston, is Clinical Professor of Pediatrics Emeritus at Harvard Medical School and Professor of Pediatrics and Human Development at Brown University. He is a famed advocate for children, and his many other internationally acclaimed books for parents include To Listen to a Child, Infants and Mothers, and, with Stanley I. Greenspan, M.D., The Irreducible Needs of Children. Joshua D. Sparrow, M.D child psychiatrist and supervisor of inpatient psychiatry at Children's Hospital Boston, is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and Associate Director of Training at the Brazelton Touchpoints Center. He is co-author with Dr. Brazelton of Touchpoints Three to Six and several titles in the Brazelton Way series.

Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; Second Edition edition (September 26, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738210498
• ISBN-13: 978-0738210490
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 1 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,132 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #11 in Books > Medical Books > Psychology > Child Psychology
  • #15 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Children's Studies

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

73 of 74 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Insight Into Behaviorial Development And More April 28, 2008

By Jon Jay

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

There are so many books on the market about parenting in the first few years of your baby's life. I have read a dozen of them, and was mostly disappointed. The "What To Expect" books, for example, are very wordy, and have very pragmatic advice, but for me lack some "depth". Brazelton's book, by contrast is both pragmatic and philosophical, giving parents much more depth on this subject. I loved reading this book; I found it to be engaging, interesting, and very relevant to raising my 2-year old.

In particular, some things that impressed me:
* The author has great insight into infant and toddler behavioral development (in fact, he has great insight into parental behavior as well). This background gives parents some inclination for what is going on with their child, and is useful in crafting responses to various behaviors that are observed in the early years of a child's life.
* The book is comprehensive, touching on most aspects of parenting in the first three years.
* The book is extremely well organized. It serves well as both a reference, and a cover-to-cover read.

I do agree with other reviewers who have said the author is opinionated. I think this is a good thing -- and I gained more and more confidence in the author's opinions as I went along. Most new parents will do well to have a "starting point" when forming their own opinions. As an example, Brazelton discusses at length the importance of establishing boundaries with infants and toddlers, as this will help the child to feel competent and secure as they continually gain new dimensions of independence which both excites and scares children. But this is balanced with the moderating view that parents minimize negativity by not making big deals of things that don't really matter. This is related to discussion on what it means to "spoil" a child. To this end, Brazelton advises: (1) do sometimes let the child get frustrated when trying to accomplish a new task by themselves -- this is a feeling they're going to have to learn to manage, and (2) establish boundaries so the child has a good sense for his own competence.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars More than expected October 24, 2007

By B. Thomas

Format:Paperback

I was still pregnant when I received this book as a gift. I thought it was "hokey" and not relevant to my situation. When my daughter was 8 weeks old, I finally cracked the book open. Wow. Wish I would have done it sooner. It explained my baby's fussy time and other things that was affecting her day. She is now 6 months old and I read ahead to recognize her behaviors and to get prepared to deal w/them. I love this book and recommend it to all new mothers! It is so hard to know what to expect, at least this EXPLAINS what and why they react the way they do!

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Good, But There's a Better Option February 8, 2011

By Brian Egras

Format:Paperback

TOUCHPOINTS is a parental guide that deals with the development of children aged 0-3 from the viewpoint of an experienced pediatrician. The advice is sound and balanced. If there are many ways to approach a subject, the benefits and drawbacks of each are explored. The best insights come when Dr. Brazeleton reveals precisely what he is looking for - in the child and in the parents - during pediatrician visits. He sees the role of the pediatrician as part of the parental team and stresses this philosophy throughout the book. Some people in these reviews have complained about the author's tone; however, I do not see any problem. To me, the author is nothing more the helpful and very experienced. I am in the process of interviewing pediatricians, as directed by the advice by Dr. Brazelton, and if we end up with one similar to him, I will be very happy.

So, why only 3 stars? While I find the advice in TOUCHPOINTS very helpful, I think it could be organized much better. Each chapter deals with a time period in the child's development, but oftentimes, the subject matters are scattered throughout the chapter or even across several chapters (with no cross reference given in-line). I found myself using a highlighter marker extensively so that I could use the book better when I need a reference.

Ironically, the one attribute that made TOUCHPOINTS completely worth the investment was its reference to another book, The Children's Hospital Guide to Your Child's Health and Development, which I bought. Initially, I wanted THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL GUIDE as a good developmental/medical reference, but upon reading it, the book is much more readable than I expected - so much so, that it does a much better job than TOUCHPOINTS while covering exactly the same topics and in a much better organizational format and with the same "pediatrician as partner" philosophy. By the way, Dr. Brazelton is associated with THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL GUIDE - he does the foreword and contributes to some of the content. I should stress that the organization and format of the material is exceptional. THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL GUIDE is a 5-star book that obviates the need for both/either of Dr. Brazelton's books - it and even comes in a hardcover format, which might even last until we no longer need it!

My simple advice: buy THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL GUIDE TO YOUR CHILD'S HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT instead of TOUCHPOINTS.