JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT
1990, Volume 8, No. 1
In My Travels
Robert J. Doman, Jr.
In my travels and encounters with parents
and professionals, I have had the opportunity to observe influences
and attitudes that have either helped or impaired the development
of our children, influences that either saved or condemned
children.
If I were to identify those things
in my education and development which were the most significant
and positive aspects, they would not be my various opportunities
to gain specific information and expertise. It would be those
opportunities that gave me the chance to observe and/or take
part in the process of creating theories and techniques for
a problem that previously had no hope or procedure.
There are very few absolutes, but
there are many realities. A severely hurt child or a comatose
child may remain in his isolated state, or he may die. These
are realities. All comatose children do not die because of
their injuries, nor do they all recover function. Their future
is not an absolute. If we do little, they have little chance;
if we do a lot, they have a better chance. This is a reality.
Parents say, "Let's try."
The professionals unfortunately often ask, "Where is
the research?" The implied meaning of this question is:
if everyone is not doing it, if my professors at school did
not tell me to do it, it must be wrong. Doing what the professors
say is safe, eliminates responsibility, stifles development,
and deprives many children of a chance.
Where there is life, there is hope.
Our data is living data our children! Recall the cliché,
"The operation was a success, but the patient died!"
This idea unfortunately speaks for the state of affairs in
the world of medicine and education. "We followed the
established procedures and we did our job. It's not our fault
Johnny can't read, Billy can't walk, or Tommy died."
At NACD, if Johnny still can't read,
if Billy still can't walk, and if Tommy still died, we failed.
No, we can't help them all but our job is to try, and trying
does not mean we complacently follow the book. The book has
never been, and never will be, enough. It is always too old
and Johnny rarely completely fits the description. At NACD
our perception of our role is to accumulate, extrapolate,
expand, and create knowledge. Johnny's problem is not going
to go away unless we find a way to make it go away.
The development of the National Academy
for Child Development has been marked by the open and positive
attitudes of our members and staff. We welcome those who have
the strength to accept the responsibility and to work at opening
previously closed doors for our children.
Reprinted from the Journal
of the National
Academy for Child Development
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