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Muscular Dystrophy
Book reviews
The new edition of Clinical Reasoning in the Health Professions presents a wide-ranging review of clinical reasoning that can be of help to health professionals in beginning to grapple with these ideas of advanced reasoning. One of the quotes I have used when putting forward the multi-dimensional nature of clinical reasoning to both undergraduate and postgraduate students is: ‘When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything begins to look like a nail’ (Zadeh, 1994). This volume contains a whole toolbox of thoughts and approaches that could encourage a wider exploration of clinical reasoning by health professionals. My concern is that the volume of material and the separation into different professional groupings will possibly mean that readers might pick only those chapters (tools) identified as 'theirs'. Although the new edition is clearly written, as a practitioner recently stated: ‘It is not being able to explain why I do things sometimes that is most frustrating.’ Unlike Jourdain in Molière's Bourgeois Gentilhomme who discovers to his amazement and great delight that whenever he speaks, he speaks prose: ‘I am speaking Prose! I have always spoken Prose! I have spoken Prose throughout my whole life!’ I have reservations as to whether many health professionals will have the same realisation/
491
enlightenment from reading this text. The realisation that the many strategies/processes outlined in the text are in fact seen to be part of their practice already and might usefully be explored to try to make more sense of the 'fuzziness' of practice (Ghaye and Lilleyman, 2000) might be clouded by the style of presentation. It is disappointing that, although the new client-centred approach and chapters are entirely relevant, a new reader/learner-centred approach to the delivery of this information was not considered. John Cleak BSc MCSP References Ghaye, T and Lilleyman, S (2000). Reflection: Principles and practice for health care professionals, Quay Books, Salisbury, Wiltshire. Jensen, G, Gwyer, J, Hack, S L M and Shepard, K F (1999). Expertise in Physical Therapy Practice, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford. Zadeh, L quoted in McNeil, D and Freiberger, P (1994). Fuzzy Logic, Simon and Schuster, New York.
Muscular Dystrophy
Promotion of good health.
The facts
Prevention of deformity. Preservation of respiratory function.
Oxford University Press 2000, 2nd edn (ISBN 0 19 263217 5) Illus.166 pages by Alan E H Emery £11.99 The principal aim of this book is to offer practical advice about living with muscular dystrophy (MD), and an understanding of the condition itself -- its diagnosis, management, and screening. It is written primarily for people with MD, their families and their carers, but professionals involved with MD will still find little gems of information. It is very easy for readers to find key areas of interest -- each chapter is well laid out with well-defined sections, and all these sections are listed in the contents. There is a very useful summary at the end of each chapter. This book offers an excellent overview of the subject of MD. It answers questions on every aspect of the condition. Where it does lack sufficient depth for the reader a very comprehensive further reading list is offered, including references to technical journals. The first two chapters could be quite difficult for a lay person to understand; however, there is a helpful glossary at the back of the book, giving definitions of all scientific terms used. Information is given on the treatment of MD, where a positive approach is recommended through the three Ps:
The three Ps are in fact a very good model for dealing with any chronic progressive disabling physical condition. The emotional, psychological and social aspects of living with the disease are well covered; there is a long list of MD organisations in most countries in the world, and a useful list offering suggestions for consideration in discussion with professionals. There is very little detail on physiotherapy techniques, as this is not a textbook for professionals, but students and general practitioners in regular contact with anyone with MD would find this a useful text. Given that this book seeks to be up to date (this is a new second edition) and is a guide to coping with the condition, very little information is included about the Internet and computers, which make an enormous difference to the teenage boys who suffer from Duchenne MD, to seek further MD information. In conclusion this book is very relevant for families who are affected by MD, and new staff joining the types of units where MD clients attend for treatment/education, etc. The fact that all royalties earned from the book are donated to research into neuromuscular diseases will make it even more attractive to buy. Anne Shipsey MCSP
Physiotherapy September 2000/vol 86/no 9
The new edition of Clinical Reasoning in the Health Professions presents a wide-ranging review of clinical reasoning that can be of help to health professionals in beginning to grapple with these ideas of advanced reasoning. One of the quotes I have used when putting forward the multi-dimensional nature of clinical reasoning to both undergraduate and postgraduate students is: ‘When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything begins to look like a nail’ (Zadeh, 1994). This volume contains a whole toolbox of thoughts and approaches that could encourage a wider exploration of clinical reasoning by health professionals. My concern is that the volume of material and the separation into different professional groupings will possibly mean that readers might pick only those chapters (tools) identified as 'theirs'. Although the new edition is clearly written, as a practitioner recently stated: ‘It is not being able to explain why I do things sometimes that is most frustrating.’ Unlike Jourdain in Molière's Bourgeois Gentilhomme who discovers to his amazement and great delight that whenever he speaks, he speaks prose: ‘I am speaking Prose! I have always spoken Prose! I have spoken Prose throughout my whole life!’ I have reservations as to whether many health professionals will have the same realisation/
491
enlightenment from reading this text. The realisation that the many strategies/processes outlined in the text are in fact seen to be part of their practice already and might usefully be explored to try to make more sense of the 'fuzziness' of practice (Ghaye and Lilleyman, 2000) might be clouded by the style of presentation. It is disappointing that, although the new client-centred approach and chapters are entirely relevant, a new reader/learner-centred approach to the delivery of this information was not considered. John Cleak BSc MCSP References Ghaye, T and Lilleyman, S (2000). Reflection: Principles and practice for health care professionals, Quay Books, Salisbury, Wiltshire. Jensen, G, Gwyer, J, Hack, S L M and Shepard, K F (1999). Expertise in Physical Therapy Practice, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford. Zadeh, L quoted in McNeil, D and Freiberger, P (1994). Fuzzy Logic, Simon and Schuster, New York.
Muscular Dystrophy
Promotion of good health.
The facts
Prevention of deformity. Preservation of respiratory function.
Oxford University Press 2000, 2nd edn (ISBN 0 19 263217 5) Illus.166 pages by Alan E H Emery £11.99 The principal aim of this book is to offer practical advice about living with muscular dystrophy (MD), and an understanding of the condition itself -- its diagnosis, management, and screening. It is written primarily for people with MD, their families and their carers, but professionals involved with MD will still find little gems of information. It is very easy for readers to find key areas of interest -- each chapter is well laid out with well-defined sections, and all these sections are listed in the contents. There is a very useful summary at the end of each chapter. This book offers an excellent overview of the subject of MD. It answers questions on every aspect of the condition. Where it does lack sufficient depth for the reader a very comprehensive further reading list is offered, including references to technical journals. The first two chapters could be quite difficult for a lay person to understand; however, there is a helpful glossary at the back of the book, giving definitions of all scientific terms used. Information is given on the treatment of MD, where a positive approach is recommended through the three Ps:
The three Ps are in fact a very good model for dealing with any chronic progressive disabling physical condition. The emotional, psychological and social aspects of living with the disease are well covered; there is a long list of MD organisations in most countries in the world, and a useful list offering suggestions for consideration in discussion with professionals. There is very little detail on physiotherapy techniques, as this is not a textbook for professionals, but students and general practitioners in regular contact with anyone with MD would find this a useful text. Given that this book seeks to be up to date (this is a new second edition) and is a guide to coping with the condition, very little information is included about the Internet and computers, which make an enormous difference to the teenage boys who suffer from Duchenne MD, to seek further MD information. In conclusion this book is very relevant for families who are affected by MD, and new staff joining the types of units where MD clients attend for treatment/education, etc. The fact that all royalties earned from the book are donated to research into neuromuscular diseases will make it even more attractive to buy. Anne Shipsey MCSP
Physiotherapy September 2000/vol 86/no 9