Building Blocks in Paediatrics

This book from experienced paediatricians Professor Alf Nicholson and Professor Kevin Dunne covers the essential elements needed throughout the career of those who treat children and adolescents.

Based on the current paediatric training curriculum, this book includes the core basics (section 1), the various symptom-based presentations (section 2) all with input from renowned sub-specialists in Paediatrics, the common presentations relating to age that are seen in primary care (section 3) and the skills you need to have to be a successful trainee or consultant in Paediatrics (section 4). All of the chapters have high quality clinical and radiology images as appropriate and have additional typical case scenarios to highlight the learning points.

This book is unique in that it caters for undergraduate students through to postgraduate trainees in paediatrics or general practice, and the working GP or consultant.

"Everything the medical student and trainee doctor needs is here, from the basics of taking a history and examination of children and teenagers through to core specialist knowledge (such as congenital heart disease) through to ethics and prevention. Each condition is described by an expert yet in an uncomplicated and pragmatic way, providing a brief summary of the key conditions, common findings and diagnostic dilemmas, and practical management. This is as true of the most specialised chapters as for general chapters on toddlers and adolescents.

Possibly the most useful I suspect will be the excellent chapters based around problems or symptoms. The series of ‘The Child with’ chapters on Cough/Diarrhoea/Fever/Frequent Infections and so on, will be particularly useful for GPs I imagine, and will also provide paediatricians with sensible approaches to these common clinical presentations. I was particularly gratified to see obesity, mental health and adolescent medicine given so much space, recognising the importance of each of these in modern clinical child health.

I loved the many practical examples, showing the humanity and years of experience of the writers. The chapter entitled ‘Frequent Flyers in the toddler years’ is full of this wisdom and I can imagine many general practitioners (which I was once extremely briefly) and paediatric trainees keeping this section particularly to hand for ready reference. My favourite section was ‘A toddler who just will not sleep’.

I thoroughly recommend this book and believe it will give readers continuing value through their undergraduate and post-graduate years." -Professor Russell Viner CBE , Former RCPCH President (2018-2021), Professor of Adolescent Health, UCL Institute of Child Health

"It is a very approachable book and immensely practical. It is well laid out and well illustrated, easy to read and comprehensive enough for the GP or the general paediatrician. The book is full of experience and wisdom and will resonate hugely with GPs. It is absolute gold dust for doctors in the training grades, both in general practice and paediatrics." -David Misselbrook, https://bjgplife.com/book-review-building-blocks-in-paediatrics/