B o o k R e v i e w PHYSIOTHERAPY AND THE GROWING CHILD E dited by: Y vonne R B um s and Julie M acD onald Pub. W B S aunders C om pany L td (1996) ISB N : 0-7020-1942-9 T his b ook gives a holistic approach to all aspects o f paediatric physiotherapy. T he fact that there are num erous contributors from all o ver the w orld lends its credibility in a w ide field. The book is w ell laid out w ith m any appropriate photographs and d ia­ gram s to illustrate the text. E xtensive use is m ade o f case histories and "Thought Provokers" w hich encourage clinical problem solving. T hese two features m ake the book particularly valuable for students w ho still lack clinical experience. T he book is divided into eight sections: Section A attem pts to alert physiotherapists to the fact th at m ore than ju st the principles o f physiotherapy need to be im plem ented in treatm ent program m es. As the author so aptly puts it "M ovem ent disorders, congested chests, fractured lim bs and so on do not occur in the abstract. T hey occur in people w ho live in fam ilies, that belong to netw orks o f extended fam ­ ily and friends, and are operative w ithin a com m unity and social set­ ting w hich has particular beliefs, conventions, law s and policies". Case studies o f four different children are used to clearly bring hom e the need for a holistic approach. In section B grow th and developm ent are discussed w ith reference to the understanding o f p h y sio th erap y assessm ent, diagnosis and Essential Reading for all Healthcare Professionals For your best route to working in Britoin os a short/long-term locum, Reed Paramedic Personnel is your number one choice, with hundreds of assignments throughout the U K. W e ca n help you map out your working plans to fit in with your itinerary - and you ca n be sure that our knowledge is unrivalled, as all our consultants are trained healthcare professionals themselves. C a ll us before you arrive and you'll be surprised at how helpful w e ca n be: •Top rates of p ay •Assistance with UK registration fees • Help with ta x and bahlc account •Advice on a ll em ployment needs • Paym ent for professional development •Accommodation a rran ged • Advice on w o r k permits • Reverse charge calls accepted If you would like to make your trip a genuine learning experience, contact us a t Fairgate House, 7 8 N ew O xfo rd Street, London W C 1 A 1HB. Tel: + 4 4 (0)171 6 3 7 3 1 5 5 . Fa x: + 4 4 (0)171 6 3 7 2 97 9 . W eb site: http://w w w .reed.co.uk Y O U R G U I D E T O S U C C E S S m anagem ent. T h ere are chapters on: birth to tw o years, tw o to six years, p rim ary school child to adolescence and on in tra-u terin e d ifferentiation and grow th o f the neuro- m uscu lo sk eletal system. A chapter is also included on com m on developm ental anom alies. We feel the section gives a very good overview w ith sufficient inform ation and plenty o f references if fu r­ ther details are required. In section C the principles and purposes o f the assess­ m ent as well as the varying details, such as age and b ack ­ g round, are discussed. T he basic assessm ent process: history, observation, testing, recording and treatm ent p lan ­ ning is presented. Som e specific types o f assessm ents cu r­ rently used are outlined and w ell tabulated. A short chapter on evaluating outcom e stresses and the need to ask hard questions relating to the outcom es actually obtained and the real costs involved in achieving them is invaluable. In section D the need for clinical reasoning and problem solving for the individual child is outlined. Basic principles including respect for the infant/child as an individual as w ell as show ing respect for the fam ily are tabulated. A n outline o f techniques used by physiotherapists in neuro- m usculoskeletal problem s is fully tabulated. P hysiotherapy services for pre and school aged children covers such topics as: early intervention-team approaches, school, hospital-com m unity and rural services. A ids and orthotics as well as gait analysis are also thoroughly d is­ cussed. Section E: This section is divided into a section on the neonate and infant, the young child and the adolescent. Physiotherapy techniques are w ell described and specific problem s like Cystic Fibrosis and b ronchopulm onary d y s­ p lasia are discussed in fair detail. Issues o f independence and control in adolescence are also pertinent. Section F: T h e section on neonates and infants stresses the im portance o f individual com prehensive assessm ent and treatm ent. Specific m usculoskeletal p roblem s in this age group are presented. C om m on sport injuries unique to the athlete w ho is im m ature skeletally are also discussed. Section G: N eurological, n eurom uscular and d ev elo p ­ m ental conditions from infancy to adolescence is discussed. In discussing the infant, again support o f the parents and their education is em phasised. In the section on children conditions the follow ing co n ­ ditions are discussed: C erebral Palsy, D ow n's Syndrom e S pina B ifida and A cquired brain injury. Section H: In these closing chapters severe and m ultiple d isability is show n to be an area w here the physiotherapist can play an extensive role w ith children, fam ilies and co ­ w orkers. T here are chapters on long-term disability; p ro ­ gressive neurom uscular disorders; the abused o r neglected child and the disabled child in countries w ith m inim al reh a­ b ilitation resources, including thought p ro voking in fo rm a­ tion on com m unity-based rehabilitation. IN SUMMARY We feel the book achieves its aim: "to p rovide the student and graduate physiotherapists as w ell as those involved in teaching physiotherapy, w ith an up-to-date reso u rce w hich addresses the unique and special characteristic o f w orking w ith children and their fam ilies". J Z u cci B .Sc. (P h ysio ) Wits J P otterton B.Sc. (Physio) REED ^ P A R A M E D I C PERSO N N EL • • • R ep ro du ce d by S ab in et G at ew ay u nd er li ce nc e gr an te d by th e P ub lis he r (d at ed 2 01 3. ) http://www.reed.co.uk