One would wish that more nurses, nursing assistants, nutritionists, health visitors, early childhood educators , family physicians and pediatricians could identify difficulties as early as possible and they could implement an intervention. Unfortunately, there is a scarcity of information about these topics in many training programs. Most family physicians and pediatricians get very little opportunity to be exposed to topics of child mental health, let alone infant mental health. So there is much work to do. One of the main messages that we have found important in working with the staff in the well-baby clinic is that each child is indeed different and unique, and so is every relationship between the parent and that specific baby.
Suggestions have to be based more on the unique situation of each child.
Ware Lucy Ware, our founding President of the Kansas Association for Infant Mental Health, has stepped down after serving for 4 years as our leader. She was the motivating force who built the foundation of the organization and kept it going during its early development. Though she has passed the torch of leadership to Martin Maldonado, we look forward to continued interaction with Lucy and hope that she will participate in other supportive roles in the organization in the coming years. The course is approved for 10 contact hours applicable for RN and LPN relicensure through Newman Memorial Hospital in Emporia. This new leadership development initiative provides each of the participants with an opportunity to collaborate with top leaders from many disciplines, as well as receive assistance for an innovative project aimed at improving the lives of young children.