Welcome to this Summer (2021) edition of WAIMH Perspectives in Infant Mental Health. Since the last issue, COVID-19 remains a constant for many of us across the globe. The impact has been and continues to be harshly indiscriminate, especially for families with infants, toddlers, and young children.
We acknowledge every baby across the globe and strengthen our resolve to be actively engaged in ensuring that every baby is seen, protected, and provided with nurturing care, along with their families and their communities. We acknowledge all infant and early childhood mental health professionals who are working relentlessly with, and on behalf of babies and their families amidst this COVID-19 pandemic.
This issue begins with an in Memorium of Professor Robert Emde, written by Assoc Prof Campbell Paul, WAIMH President. This year has been one where many of us have faced the loss of loved ones and within WAIMH, the loss of Bob Emde is a huge loss to our global community. Our WAIMH President Campbell Paul shares beautifully about Bob and offers a glimpse of who this amazing man was and the legacy he has gifted to all babies and everyone who cares for, and supports the care of babies. He will be forever remembered and treasured.
WAIMH Executive Director Prof Kaija Puura provides an update and her reflections; as always, her contribution connects with us as readers; as if we were in conversation with her.
This issue also includes ongoing information about the hybrid WAIMH Congress that was held in Brisbane, Australia (June 22-26) and across the globe. It is still a miracle that this congress occurred and it represents an enormous amount of work. We thank the whole Congress team for their perseverance, creativity, and commitment to create a WAIMH Congress that was, and that remains accessible to WAIMH, and our allied global community.
This issue includes four main new papers. First, is a paper by colleagues in Denver, USA: WePlay Denver: Introducing a Flexible, Caregiver-Led Parent-Child Group is a paper by Lauren Gross, Kelly Lavin, Kayce Moormeier, Esha Pahwa, Mariana Cerqueira, and Tracy Moran Vozar. Next, the focus shifts to the innovative use of child and adolescent psychiatry residents in Portugal during COVID-19: The experience of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry residents at a COVID-19 Testing Centre. By, Sofia Vaz Pinto, Catarina Garcia Ribeiro, Mónica Filipe da Mata, Mariana Pereira Alves, Nuno Araújo Duarte, Madalena Ferro Rodrigues, Cristina Martins Halpern, and Pedro Caldeira da Silva.
Next the focus shifts to paediatrics and foster care; a paper by colleagues in Minnesota, USA: A Case Study of the Early Childhood Mental Health Therapeutic Consultation Protocol within a Specialty Multidisciplinary Pediatric Clinic for Adopted and Foster Care Children (By Alyssa R. Palmer, Claire Dahl, Judith K. Eckerle, MaryJo Spencer, Kimara Gustafson and Maria Kroupina.
We also draw attention to the lived experience of “contemplating help-seeking”, as identified by Minna Sorsa and colleagues from Finland. Minna Sorsa from Finland contributes A review on contemplating help-seeking in perinatal psychological distress.
The focus then shifts to celebrating and honouring two WAIMH members, Dr Denise Guy from New Zealand and Dr Julie Stone from Australia. Dr Guy and Dr Stone have each recently received national honours for their work in infant mental health in their countries. The IMHAANZ affiliate shares with us about the New Zealand national honour Dr Guy received and Emma Toone from Australia shares with us about the Australian national honour that Dr Stone received. On behalf of WAIMH, we congratulate both Dr Guy and Dr Stone for being recipients of these prestigious honours.
Next, a recently published book by Fernanda (2020): Babys und Kleinkinder in Not. Psychopathologie und Behandlung, is reviewed by Éva Hédervári-Heller, from Berlin, Germany. Another new book is also featured: Four Decades in Infant Mental Health, by Michael Trout.
The issue closes with some Perspectives in Infant Mental Health administrative updates that include the updated Perspectives Flyer, Author Submission guidelines, and the Call for abstracts regarding the forthcoming Perspectives in Infant Mental Health Special issue on IMH Public health and Policy. Information is also provided about the Infant Mental Health Journal.
As a reminder, Perspectives papers can be accessed online, with past issues dating back to 1993 currently available by following this link: https://perspectives.waimh.org/perspectives-archive/. Also, past articles are available online in text format, which in turn can be shared: https://perspectives.waimh.org/.
Finally, the WAIMH office staff, led by Dr Minna Sorsa and Neea-Leena Aalto continue to do an amazing job in the office. They share with us an update on the WAIMH Office news.
May you and your families and friends, stay safe and well.
Perspectives in Infant Mental Health Vol. 29 No. 2 | Summer 2021
Authors
Maree Foley, Switzerland, Editor-in-Chief
Patricia O’Rourke, Australia, Associate Editor
Jody Todd-Manly, USA, Associate Editor
Azhar AbuAli, United Arab Emirates, Associate Editor
Chaya Kulkarni, Canada, WAIMH Board Member Associate Editor
Salisha Maharaj, South Africa, Intern Editor
Minna Sorsa, Finland, Production Editor
