Touchpoints: Your Child's Emotional and Behavioral Development, Birth to 3 -- The Essential Reference for the Early Years [Paperback]

T. Berry Brazelton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1992

Based on over three decades of continuous practice and internationally recognized research, Touchpoints is the only childcare reference by a pediatrician who has both medical and psychoanalytic training, and who offers parents a complete understanding of child development from a physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral point of view. No other childcare guide offers supportive, empathetic insights into the parents' own emotions, and no other guide includes both chronological chapters and alphabetical topics on all issues faced by families from conception through age six."Touchpoints" are the universal spurts of development and the trying periods of regression that accompany them throughout childhood. Dr. Brazelton uses them as windows to help parents understand their child's behavior and prevent future problems. PART ONE: "Touchpoints of Development" is a vivid chronological account of the basic stages of early childhood. Every chapter covers:feeding; crying; temperament; social learning; stranger awareness; discipline; sleeping; learning; emotions; independence; self image; sexuality; communication; motor skills; attachment; play; self-esteem; toilet-training.PART TWO: "Challenges to Development" is a complete alphabetical reference. Each entry shows how to understand, defuse, and prevent potential problems such as: allergies; bedwetting; crying; depression; discipline; divorce; fears; feeding problems; headaches; hearing problems; hospitalization; hyperactivity; hypersensitivity; imaginary friends; loss and grief; lying and stealing; manipulation; nightmares; school readiness; self-esteem; separation; sibling rivalry; sleep problems; speech problems; stomachaches; television; toilet training.PART THREE: "Allies in Development" explains the important role of each person in your child's life: fathers; mothers; friends; caregivers; grandparents; doctor.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

T. Berry Brazelton is a knowledgeable physician with years of experience with thousands of children, and he brings that experience to bear on virtually every issue faced by families with kids, from birth through age 3. In this sterile age of managed care, Brazelton provides the kindly, reassuring approach of your own family physician--a physician living in your own home, on your own bookshelf. Touchpoints provides chronological accounts of the basic stages of early childhood, presents (in alphabetical reference form) the challenges to development, and explores the important role of each person--father, mother, caregiver--in a child's life.

Review

"If you read only one book...in the toddler and preschool years, make it Touchpoints Three to Six." -- Boston Globe, 01/07/06

"My favorite book on this very important stage in life." -- Amy Dickinson Chicago Tribune 03/29/04

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Lifelong Books; 1 edition (March 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 020162690X
• ISBN-13: 978-0201626902
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #300,369 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First time parents, February 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Touchpoints: Your Child's Emotional and Behavioral Development, Birth to 3 -- The Essential Reference for the Early Years (Paperback)

While still pregnant, we received a lot of advice and several books. We found Dr. Brazelton's approach the most caring and respectful to both parents and children. This book covers many topics and particularly saved us one night our baby wouldn't stop crying. We found his methods to be more in tune with our personalities and not the strict "scheduling" and "training" style of some of his counterparts.

Our 18-month old is developing well, confident and happy (and slept through the night at 3 weeks).

There is no "one way" to raise a child and each child is a unique individual; Dr. Brazelton takes this into account. We are constanly referring back to this book, not as a "baby handbook", but as a guide.

57 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sensible, down to earth "advice", May 20, 2000

By 

saliero (NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Touchpoints: Your Child's Emotional and Behavioral Development, Birth to 3 -- The Essential Reference for the Early Years (Paperback)

Being a "nervous" first-time parent of a premature baby (who isn't!) I was recommended this by the community early childhood nurse. In the plethora of child-rearing books on the shelves, I would recommend this as the pick of the bunch. Brazelton discusses all sorts of issues to do with children in their early years, always from the child's point of view, but never talking down to parents.

I found his words enormously helpful in getting thtough some tough times with colic - it didn't make it any less stressful, but I was able to hang on and get through it, knowing a bit more about it and what was happening to that little person.

Brazelton sounds like a wonderfully caring and compassionate pediatrician - I wish he could be cloned! At least you can get his book. I have bought it as a gift for a couple of new-parent friends, and they too have found it enormously useful.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dr. Brazelton loves infants and it shows., April 19, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Touchpoints The Essential Reference: Your Child's Emotional And Behavioral Development (Hardcover)

T. Berry Brazelton describes the development of infants in their first year with an obvious respect for their amazing abilities. His gentle nature and child-centered approach are evident in his writings, and this book is no exception. "Touchpoint" is Dr. Brazelton's term for developmental milestones- times in a child's growth when she faces change and needs a parent's (and doctor's) understanding. This book serves as a good guide for parents who are looking for an overview of babies- a good overall discussion of child development and issues that new parents may face. Although it is touted as Dr. Brazelton's complete reference for children from birth to 6 years, it is heavy on infancy. The chapters dealing with specific concerns are a good starting point, but since they touch on a broad range of topics, they lack a depth of information for anyone with a real need for information. But if all you're looking for is a good read about child development from someone with a passion for the beauty of infancy, this is your book