Gallagher, with his associates at the Adolescent Unit, has for years been a leader in promoting interest in adolescents' health. Pediatricians have been hoping he would produce a book such as this, dealing with the various physical and emotional health problems of the teen-ager.
The author states the purposes of the book to be: "to discuss those ailments which are common in adolescence or which present some peculiarity during that period of life" and "to emphasize the importance of taking adolescents themselves, their characteristics, their hopes and fears into account and of treating them, not just their illnesses." There can be no doubt about his success in reaching both objectives.
The first portion of the volume describes the physical characteristics of adolescents, their physical and emotional growth and development, and the typical personality features of this period of life. The influences and effects of the teen-ager's characteristics upon diagnosis and