Childhood Psychological Disorders

June 15, 2011

Children's mental health issues differ from those of adults; within the medical field, there is disagreement over medication use and even whether common maladies like depression and bipolar disorder occur in children. Here, 11 contributors confront such issues thoughtfully and authoritatively. Editor Bursztyn (school psychology & special education, Brooklyn Coll., CUNY; Handbook of Special Education) and the contributors are colleagues from area institutions. The book begins with a discussion of disability from a global and historical perspective. Stand-alone chapters cover specific disorders including autism, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, bipolar and emotional disturbances, gender identity disorder, and the less-often considered topic of food allergies. Contributors review each disorder with statistics on incidence, treatment trends, and current research. Alternative perspectives on the extent to which society and educational institutions should accommodate the special needs of such children are also presented. Bursztyn enlivens the text with case studies and practice notes and provides print and web resources. VERDICT A uniformly readable and useful survey for parents, counselors and special education teachers, and students. Recommended for large public libraries and special education collections.--Antoinette M. Brinkman, MLS, Evansville, IN

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.