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Book Review Indian Pediatrics 2001; 38: 441 |
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Adolescent Care 2000 and Beyond |
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Adolescence is a period of rapid development when young people acquire new capacities and are faced with many new situations. This presents not only opportunities for progress but also risks to their health and well being. As adolescents face the challenges of life, a little help can go a long way in providing positive and productive paths, whereas neglect of adolescents can lead to problems, both immediately and in the years ahead. Dr. M.K.C. Nair and Dr. Ranjan K. Pejavar with their vast experience have brought out a treatise on this subject for the first time in this country. The contents of the book are in two parts – Part I highlights the adolescent health problems, normal physical growth, mental health, reproductive health including gyneco-logical problems and teenage morbidity pattern. These chapters are supported by some of the studies available from India and abroad. The second part is related to health promotion, counseling and training. It provides guidelines for imparting adolescent health services at different levels in the community. The chapter on adolescent perceptions is followed by life style interventions and life skills for developing psychosocial competence. The chapters on Family life education and reproductive health training are simple, practical and lucid. Adolescent suicide and depression have been discussed in detail so as to give a better understanding for this problem. Finally the book deals with teenage care and counseling during different periods of adolescence – 10-14 years, 14-17 years and also on premarital counseling. Dr. Nair has also elaborated upon how and where to set up counseling clinics to impart adolescent health services. He has also put together the type of questions often asked by adolescents. However, the book lacks adequate citations at various places and the references at times have been quoted incompletely and don’t follow a consistent format. The monograph will be a useful reference for residents, consultants and nurses who are providing adolescent health services. An important commitment a country can make for the future economic, social and political progress and stability is to address the health and development needs of its adolescents and every effort should be made to support and develop them. This publication in the Indian context is likely to facilitate our task towards this venture. Sangita Yadav, |
