Down Syndrome: The Facts

The book contains black-and-white illustrations.

Dr. Mark Selikowitz, a consultant paediatrician, has drawn on his extensive experience with children with Down syndrome to write this sympathetic and authoritative book, widely regarded as the definitive guide for parents. In this new edition, he looks at the many new opportunities that have appeared over the past few years in the educational, social, and employment spheres for people with Down syndrome. These have been accompanied by favorable changes in community attitudes. A particularly encouraging development is the greater attention paid to the wishes of people with Down syndrome. The book offers advice and reassurance to these people and provides an essential guide to their parents and the many health workers who come in contact with Down syndrome children and adults.

William I. Cohen

Dr. Selikowitz has updated his 1990 book designed for parents of children with Down syndrome. This book is notable in that it covers the whole life span, from infancy to adulthood and deals with the developmental, educational, and social-sexual needs of individuals with Down syndrome as well as their medical needs. "The author successfully meets his objective of providing a concise, readable discussion of Down syndrome and its impact on the child and family in an upbeat, positive manner. This book will be especially useful to new parents of a child with Down syndrome, although it does present excellent information about the needs of adolescents and adults as well. "Designed for parents, this book certainly has the potential to be useful to a variety of other professionals, such as medical students, educators, early intervention providers, and social workers. The medical material is well presented, in a fashion that is clear and free of jargon. The author is a recognized authority on this subject; he speaks authoritatively and compassionately. "There are a few figures to illustrate some of the genetics of Down syndrome. Most of the illustrations are pictures of individuals with Down syndrome. I think more of these would be helpful to parents, to see the child in his or her natural environment. The book is small in size and is very inviting; it is easy to read and does not overwhelm the reader. The absence of references is a minor fault, overcome by the names and addresses of a variety of national organizations that can provide current information. "This concise, appealing book is encyclopedic in breadth, yet it never overwhelms the reader with too much detail. It is current, witha good description of the alternative (controversial) therapies that are currently the rage around the world. This book should be available in every obstetric department and every public library.

Mark Selikowitz is a consultant developmental paediatrician in Sydney. He is a former director of the child development unit at the Sydney Children's Hospital, and the author of several books on aspects of child development.