N.O'DonohoeEPILEPSIES OF CHILDHOODThird Edition1994Butterworth and HeinemannOxford

Joanne Dahl's book, although relating to children, does provide such practical information. As a newcomer to the subject I found the book extremely useful in a practical sense because it is clear and logical: it took me through the behavioural management of epilepsy from start to finish. felt it could have been more concise as there was considerable repetition in the early chapters where I felt the author was concentrating on trying to win over the reader and constantly justifying the treatments. Although perhaps there are still obtuse people who refuse to recognize the psychological aspects of epilepsy, the person who will be using this book for practical help will already have some convicton that behavioural therapy is useful and will be much more concerned with a clear description of the various methods of treatment. At the point in the book where behaviourai analysis and methods of treatment are discussed, the book becomes much more useful and gave me the confidence that I needed. By the end of the book I certainly had accepted the author's viewpoint that 'almost every child/patient with epilepsy can influence his or her seizure development to some degree'. The patient I was treating was an adult but the principles in this book, although directed towards children, are equally applicable to adults. For someone who is wanting to learn how to use these methods this book is invaluable and I thoroughly both enjoyed reading it and using it. Overall, both these books were valuable-the first one particularly for reference and for giving me ideas and the second one for an extremely practical and helpful approach to behavioural treatment in epilepsy. It is a pity that the title of the second book, which seems to imply that it is purely about children, will prevent some people from using it. This is the third edition of an extremely well-known, well-loved textbook designed for the general paediatrician , and other doctors without specialist knowledge of epilepsy, who need to understand the management of childhood epilepsies. It succeeds admirably. I have used the previous editions to keep in touch with what our paediatric colleagues are up to and to delve into the mysteries of the child with epilepsy. I shall certainly use this edition in the same way and with the same enjoyment. It is packed full with the author's own experience (but without the blind spots that single author …