These volumes are the first in a series from the University of Minnesota titled Guides to Birth and Childhood Disorders. The series, edited by Robert J. Gorlin, offers a uniformity and comprehensiveness not found in similar texts. Individual volumes are modeled after the collaborative efforts of David W. Smith and Ann Asper Wilson, coauthors of the highly successful The Child With Down's Syndrome.
The authors, editors, and advisory board have produced concise, informative, and current texts. The guides include important factual data presented clearly. The authors simplify etiologies and clarify complicated procedures, giving parents and families a better understanding of complex issues. Important social issues are addressed, including education and sexuality (in the spina bifida text) and exercise limitations and death (in the heart disorders text). Photographs of technical equipment help to demystify treatments and interventions. Useful appendixes include a dictionary of medical terms, a glossary of roles and training