Book reviews

GRAVITY PULLS YOU IN: PERSPECTIVES ON PARENTING CHILDREN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM. By Kyra Anderson and Vicki Foreman. Wobine House; 2010. 174 pp. ISBN-13: 978-1606130025. Experience the world of families affected by the autism spectrum in this collection of 33 essays and poems. These honest writings examine the physiological and emotional toll that autism has on families. Parents share personal experiences and perspectives about how their child's disorder affects them and how they see themselves as the "outsiders," trying to understand and move their children forward into functioning closer to "normal." Within these pages, parents of autistic children discuss how they have become advocates for awareness of autism and for early intervention to help their children.

THE EVERYTHING PARENT'S GUIDE TO ADHD IN CHILDREN. 2nd ed. By Carole Jacobs and Isadore Wendel, PhD, MSCP. Adams Media Corporation; 2010. 304 pp. ISBN-13: 978-1605506784. A nationally recognized health and fitness writer and a clinical psychologist provide parents with the 1-stop support they need to unravel the overwhelming amount of material available to understand the diagnosis and treatment options, as well as problems, associated with ADHD. This book offers advice for managing the elementary and middle school years, the pros and cons of medication, and coping with social challenges and includes the latest information on how the right nutrition can reduce ADHD symptoms.

A CHILD IN PAIN: WHAT HEALTH PROFESSIONALS CAN DO TO HELP. By Leora Kuttner, PhD. Crown Publishing Company; 2010. 420 pp. ISBN-13: 978-1845904364. Discover practical strategies for understanding and easing pain in pediatric patients. This book dispels the myths about childhood pain and offers information for physicians, dentists, and hospital personnel on scientific discoveries about pain management. Simple explanatory diagrams and soothing words can be powerful tools for healthcare providers treating children experiencing pain. Blending research findings with countless real-life examples from 30 years of clinical practice, this book suggests practical ways to better communicate with children and help them become part of their own pain management team. There are stories about the personal experiences of patients mixed with the scientific information.

MY ORGAN BUDDIES. By Lee Downing and Felice Downing. Organ Buddies, Inc; 2010. 32 pp. Illus. ISBN-13: 978-0615329406. Characters Sidney the Kidney and his twin sister, Sydney; Oliver the Liver; Bart the Heart; Pat the Pancreas; and Louie and Louise the Lungs teach young children about the location and functions of body organs through rhymes, colorful diagrams and drawings, and puzzles and word games. Throughout this book, the Organ Buddies characters explain how they each distinctly keep children healthy and active-and how children can return the favor by keeping their organs healthy through sleep, diet, play, and exercise. This book may be used as a read-aloud book, an independent reader, or a classroom instructional tool.