Pediatric Decision Making

The preface to Berman's Pediatric Decision Making states that the book is a "reasonable guide to clinical problem solving" that addresses the "decision-making process over content." The book is fully successful at the former and actually does a reasonable job with the latter.

The text is divided into 15 sections based on organ systems or categories of clinical presentations. Each section consists of several clinical problems, which are usually major presenting signs or symptoms. For example, the section on "Febrile Disorders" includes "Fever in Early Infancy," "Prolonged Fever," and "Frequent Infections." Each clinical problem is presented on two facing pages with an algorithm on the right page and critical management and interpretation comments on the left page. The clinical problems vary from common medical and behavioral outpatient presentations to inpatient intensive care conditions. The text shows how to organize a diagnostic evaluation and therapeutic strategy for each problem. There is