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Multiple Sclerosis in Clinical Practice
488
Book reviews Multiple Sclerosis in Clinical Practice Demos, New York 1999 (ISBN 88879 25 0226). 226 pages by Professor Stanley van den Noort MD and Nancy J Holland EdD $34.95 Multiple Sclerosis in Clinical Practice aims to provide the background required for general practitioners to be able to manage the symptoms related to all aspects of the disease process. It is a joint publication, in paperback form, between Professor Stanley van den Noort, department of neurology, University of California, and Nancy Holland who is vice-president of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in America. As such it has a very American bias to treatments, particularly disease-modifying agents such as beta interferon, and it also has a strong bias towards the MS Society for all aspects of support. The book is well organised into chapters relating initially to an understanding of the disease process itself and then individual chapters dealing with appropriate management strategies of each individual symptom. It gives clear definitions and treatment
Feeding Problems in Children A practical guide Radcliffe Medical Press, Oxford 2000 (ISBN 1 85775 208 2). 272 pages edited by Angela Southall and Anthony Schwartz £19.95 At first glance this book would not appear to be particularly relevant for physiotherapists and it is indeed written primarily for those professionals with a direct involvement in children’s feeding problems. However it is important for professionals who work with children to have a broad understanding of children’s development and needs, and this book enables readers to appreciate how feeding difficulties can affect children’s global development. It presents paediatric physiotherapists with useful insights into the importance of nutritious, safe and pain-free feeding. It is not about eating disorders but the more common feeding problems of childhood. It is set out well and is easy to read, or dip into, with a clear index and cross-referencing. The early chapters cover theoretical aspects while the latter cover their practical
Physiotherapy September 2000/vol 86/no 9
strategies both therapeutic and pharmaceutical and has some excellent flow diagrams included in each chapter to help plan the treatment strategies. The symptom management is followed by individual case studies, which are up to date and give a good overview of the complexity of managing such chronic neurological conditions as MS and relates well to the impact it has on all aspects of quality of life. The chapter on community resources has no relationship to services in the United Kingdom. The final section of the book is a very good reference resource for information on individual medications and their side-effect profile commonly used in the treatment of MS. It is an easy book to access, as each chapter stands alone with good up-to-date references for further reading. However, it must be read with an awareness of the fact that many treatment strategies have an American bias. The book on the whole has very little physiotherapy-related information but it would be an ideal reference book for anyone working with this client group, particularly in a multidisciplinary setting. Jane E Petty MCSP
applications – chapters 10 and 11 being most relevant to clinical physiotherapy. The stated aim of the book is to fill the gap in the literature on useful interventions, and to a large extent it succeeds, with important factors such as the risks associated with feeding children with dysphagia, and correct positioning for feeding, being discussed fairly thoroughly. Unfortunately there are no illustrations to support the text and on practical issues such as positioning, this would have been useful. Guidance on desensitisation techniques is not included either but would be beneficial for those who help to feed children with disabilities. But perhaps these are ideas for a subsequent publication and should not detract from the book’s value as a reminder to physiotherapists that they are well placed to recognise, and refer on, patients who are at risk of compromising their respiratory status through repeated aspiration of food; and those whose gastro-oesophageal reflux is so painful, it causes major positioning and handling problems. I feel this book would be a useful addition to a hospital library or a multidisciplinary paediatric library for general use and for physiotherapists to dip into when specific problems arise. Carrie Jackson MCSP
Book reviews Multiple Sclerosis in Clinical Practice Demos, New York 1999 (ISBN 88879 25 0226). 226 pages by Professor Stanley van den Noort MD and Nancy J Holland EdD $34.95 Multiple Sclerosis in Clinical Practice aims to provide the background required for general practitioners to be able to manage the symptoms related to all aspects of the disease process. It is a joint publication, in paperback form, between Professor Stanley van den Noort, department of neurology, University of California, and Nancy Holland who is vice-president of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in America. As such it has a very American bias to treatments, particularly disease-modifying agents such as beta interferon, and it also has a strong bias towards the MS Society for all aspects of support. The book is well organised into chapters relating initially to an understanding of the disease process itself and then individual chapters dealing with appropriate management strategies of each individual symptom. It gives clear definitions and treatment
Feeding Problems in Children A practical guide Radcliffe Medical Press, Oxford 2000 (ISBN 1 85775 208 2). 272 pages edited by Angela Southall and Anthony Schwartz £19.95 At first glance this book would not appear to be particularly relevant for physiotherapists and it is indeed written primarily for those professionals with a direct involvement in children’s feeding problems. However it is important for professionals who work with children to have a broad understanding of children’s development and needs, and this book enables readers to appreciate how feeding difficulties can affect children’s global development. It presents paediatric physiotherapists with useful insights into the importance of nutritious, safe and pain-free feeding. It is not about eating disorders but the more common feeding problems of childhood. It is set out well and is easy to read, or dip into, with a clear index and cross-referencing. The early chapters cover theoretical aspects while the latter cover their practical
Physiotherapy September 2000/vol 86/no 9
strategies both therapeutic and pharmaceutical and has some excellent flow diagrams included in each chapter to help plan the treatment strategies. The symptom management is followed by individual case studies, which are up to date and give a good overview of the complexity of managing such chronic neurological conditions as MS and relates well to the impact it has on all aspects of quality of life. The chapter on community resources has no relationship to services in the United Kingdom. The final section of the book is a very good reference resource for information on individual medications and their side-effect profile commonly used in the treatment of MS. It is an easy book to access, as each chapter stands alone with good up-to-date references for further reading. However, it must be read with an awareness of the fact that many treatment strategies have an American bias. The book on the whole has very little physiotherapy-related information but it would be an ideal reference book for anyone working with this client group, particularly in a multidisciplinary setting. Jane E Petty MCSP
applications – chapters 10 and 11 being most relevant to clinical physiotherapy. The stated aim of the book is to fill the gap in the literature on useful interventions, and to a large extent it succeeds, with important factors such as the risks associated with feeding children with dysphagia, and correct positioning for feeding, being discussed fairly thoroughly. Unfortunately there are no illustrations to support the text and on practical issues such as positioning, this would have been useful. Guidance on desensitisation techniques is not included either but would be beneficial for those who help to feed children with disabilities. But perhaps these are ideas for a subsequent publication and should not detract from the book’s value as a reminder to physiotherapists that they are well placed to recognise, and refer on, patients who are at risk of compromising their respiratory status through repeated aspiration of food; and those whose gastro-oesophageal reflux is so painful, it causes major positioning and handling problems. I feel this book would be a useful addition to a hospital library or a multidisciplinary paediatric library for general use and for physiotherapists to dip into when specific problems arise. Carrie Jackson MCSP