Handbook of Pediatric Nutrition. 3d ed.

Handbook of Pediatric Nutrition. Third Edition

Samour PQ, King K, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, 2005, 722 pages, $142.95, ISBN 0-7637-8356-0

This substantial text is in its third edition, intended for use by serious students of paediatrics; the authors describe the book as 'the last word' in paediatric nutrition, it is written by dietitians and specialists in their respective areas of childhood dietetics; and covers all aspects of children's nutrition from normal growth and feeding the well child to specialised subjects, and embraces ages from prematurity to adolescence (even including relevant aspects of intrauterine influences on nutrition). The book is current, with references including publications from 2004; each chapter includes relevant references and the index is extensive and useful.

Specialist topics include cystic fibrosis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, chylothorax, burns and sports nutrition in children. Differences in medical practice from that in Australia are reflected in the text; the discussion of diagnosis of cystic fibrosis makes passing mention only of screening programs--standard practice in Australia. Some of the commercial names of feeds and enteral products mentioned in the text will be recognised and some are unfamiliar, but descriptions are still applicable; there is some discussion of 'home-made' enteral feeds, generated by the need for families who do not have insurance to meet costs. Areas that are rarely covered in other texts include chapters on the use of alternative therapies (botanicals or phytomedicine) and vegetarianism in childhood. There is an extensive consideration of obesity, with a directory to details of formal programs, and discussions of complications including polycystic ovary syndrome. Along with this there is a useful discussion of eating disorders.

A perennial issue in paediatrics is the choice of a model for calculation of energy requirements, for normal growth and in differing clinical situations. This text includes a review of the options for estimation of energy requirements, and an annotated review of clinical situations and the impact on energy needs.

A large section of the book is devoted to appendices, including growth charts, a list of references to available special growth charts, and considerable space to current anthropometric and Tanner developmental standards, with differentiation for US subcultural groups.

Information is practical as well as theoretically based; comprehensive attention is given to nutritional and dietary assessment for each of the conditions discussed, and for monitoring of nutrition management. There is a very detailed chart outlining care of metabolic disease, but it is useful to keep in mind that metabolic disease is an area where a very different approach may be taken in Australia. Reference to commercial products in this section is generally not useful. Useful information in the book, which is often hard to find, includes discussion and calculation of renal solute load, discussion of osmolality in paediatric feeds, and design of modular feeds.

Although most Australian dietetic libraries would include the standard British text on paediatric nutrition, this book would provide an alternative view and a useful addition to a specialist library, or that of a sole practitioner needing ready access to advice.

Kay Gibbons, FDAA 

Manager

Nutrition Services, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne

[c] 2006 The Author

Journal compilation [c] 2006 Dietitians Association of Australia