Clinical Evaluation of Newborns, Infants and Children

The strength of the book is that it asks its readers to acquire the communication skills. Elicitation of the history, which is the most important part of the patient workup, had been dealt with in good measures. It would have completed the description if prior treatment history had also been included. Dietary history lacks importance of breastfeeding and the nutritive value of breast milk has not been highlighted in the description of complementary feeding. The description of the general physical examination and growth and development of the child have been written with a good blend of years of experience and a simple illustrative approach. The limitation is that only CDC-2000 growth tables and charts have been used. It would have been better to include WHO growth charts as well. The examination of the newborn baby seems sufficient for an undergraduate medical and nursing student to differentiate a sick neonate. The systemic examination part is adequately written, and students will find it easy to elicit many signs and to describe abnormalities. The author has worked hard to reproduce better-quality clinical photographs liberally to help students learn the clinical situation which they may not have a chance to see as a clinical case during ward posting. Pedigree charting, reading of ECG, and skiagrams of chest are good additions. Overall, the book gives a pleasant reading and can be recommended to the undergraduate students.