Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics [Hardcover]

Melvin D. Levine MD (Author), William B. Carey MD (Author), Allen C. Crocker MD (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0721671543 | ISBN-13: 978-0721671543 | Publication Date: January 4, 1999 | Edition: 3rd

Completely updated and revised, the 3rd Edition of this respected resource offers specific guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of the full spectrum of problematic behaviors. Expert authorities, including many new contributors, emphasize formulated reasoning and organized responses to developmental-behavioral issues as presented in a clinical environment. Offers recommendations for evaluating symptoms and specific suggestions for counseling, medical treatment and follow-up. Many photographs, charts and line drawings have been added to enhance this edition.

Editorial Reviews

From The New England Journal of Medicine

The decrease in mortality and morbidity from infectious illness among children has shifted the focus of pediatric medicine to developmental and behavioral problems for parents and health professionals. The American Board of Medical Specialties and the American Board of Pediatrics have just this year recognized the new subspecialty of developmental-behavioral pediatrics and are developing criteria for board certification.

The publication of the third edition of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics is therefore quite timely. It is a comprehensive overview of the field by 121 experts. The book aims to reach both general pediatricians and subspecialists engaged in research and teaching in this relatively new field. The editors emphasize the inseparable connection between development and behavior and the range of variations in these two attributes of childhood.

The book is divided into eight parts. The first consists of nine chapters on the main developmental stages of childhood and parenthood and the effects of temperament and sex. The next three sections (25 chapters) cover the effects of environment, biology, and illness on development and behavior. Parts 5, 6, and 7 are especially targeted to clinicians. The 29 chapters in part 5 focus on specific behavioral outcomes during childhood, ranging from colic to attentional problems, mental retardation, and autism. The sixth section (10 chapters) describes assessment techniques, the seventh (11 chapters) describes specific treatments, and the eighth covers legal and ethical issues.

This book strives to be comprehensive and definitive, but the effort to reach both clinicians and researchers causes the results to be uneven. The initial sections are too theoretical for clinicians, and the later sections do not provide a critical review of research.

Many of the chapters are excellent, particularly the reviews of psychopharmacology, the effects of nutrition on behavior, eating disorders, attention and school-aged children, early intervention, and hypnosis. In view of the prevalence of suicide and homicide among children, more detailed coverage of these topics could have been provided, particularly with respect to the influence of the media and gun-control legislation and the efficacy of recent interventions aimed at preventing youth violence. In addition, innovations in pain relief and analgesia are not covered in sufficient detail.

The limited reimbursement from managed-care organizations for the time-intensive evaluation and care of children with developmental behavioral problems is an important issue for general pediatricians and subspecialists and is not adequately addressed. The chapter on obesity does not discuss the increased risk of type 2 diabetes among obese adolescents.

Despite these lapses in covering specific topics, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics should be a marvelous resource for all physicians caring for children.

Reviewed by Michael W. Yogman, M.D.
Copyright © 1999 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved. The New England Journal of Medicine is a registered trademark of the MMS.

Review

Review of the last edition: "Strongly recommend that this book be available at all sites where children are seen." -HMO Practice

Product Details

• Hardcover: 929 pages
• Publisher: Saunders; 3rd edition (January 4, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0721671543
• ISBN-13: 978-0721671543
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.6 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,129,184 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mel Levine, M.D., is professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina Medical School and director of its Clinical Center for the Study of Development and Learning. He is the founder and cochairman of All Kinds of Minds, a nonprofit institute for the understanding of differences in learning, and the author of two previous national best-selling books, A Mind at a Time and The Myth of Laziness. He and his wife, Bambi, live on Sanctuary Farm in North Carolina.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Developmental-behavioral pediatrics, August 5, 2009

By 

Joav Merrick (Israel) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics: Expert Consult - Online and Print, 4e (Hardcover)

The first edition was published in 1983 with Melvin D Levine from Boston, William B Carey from Philadelphia, Allen C Crocker from Bosten and Ruth T Gross from Stanford. Gross retired after the first edition, Levine now at Chapel Hill retired after three editions, while Carey and Crocker are still going strong, but supported by three new editors from Chapel Hill, Denver and Palo Alto in order to update and revise with the new developments in this field over the past ten years.

This book has eleven sections: Life stages, environment, biological influences, general physical illness, behaviuoral and emotional outcomes, school function, physical function outcomes, developmental outcomes, assessment, management and treatment and legal and ethical issues with a total of 101 chapters. A very comprehensive book with even a chapter on disasters, war and terrorism and child response and mangement. A full spectrum of very competent academics and clinicians, who have authored these 101 chapters with a very pleasant layout and format.

I am especially happy to see the chapter on intellectual disability by Ellen Elias and Allen Crocker and satisfied that they have opted to use the international term for what was mental retardation, development disability or learning disability as they call it in the United Kingdom.

A book for the specialist in developmental-behavioral pediatrics, but also for the general pediatrician working in the community because many children that will be seen in the community is described here. Also for other professionals from other disciplines working with children and their families.

Professor Joav Merrick, MD, MMedSci, DMSc
[...]

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Complete, March 26, 2000

By 

Peds Resident (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics (Hardcover)

While I am still a learner in this area, I must say that this book seems complete, if a bit dry. There are chapters on all aspects of this field that I could think of, and I will use it as a good reference.