The authors followed 41 physically handicapped children through their first few years in school, examining the developmental process in the life of such children. They found that most of the children underwent two well-defined crises related to specific developmental hurdles between the ages of five and nine. Many of their parents could not initially deal realistically with the problem of the child's future, but with help they were able to do so later. The authors discuss their findings in the light of various developmental theories.Abstract Teaser