Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma Pocket Atlas, Volume 1

The Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma 2-volume set is a comprehensive review of the leadingcause of physical abuse deaths in the United States today. It offers an in-depth evaluation of victim clinical presentation, usual physical examination, laboratory, and neuroradiologic findings, and outcomes. It also explores reasonable differential diagnoses and provides illustrative cases. This is an outstanding reference for child abuse pediatricians and for those professionals such as pediatric neurologists, child development specialists, and generalists who care for AHT survivors often afflicted with complex medical problems.

Debra Esernio-Jenssen, MD, FAAP
Professor of Pediatrics
Child Protection Team
University of Florida at Gainseville
Gainseville, Florida

This text contains concise and up-to-date discussions of facets and controversial aspects of abusive head trauma (AHT). As an example, Dr. Spivack briefly and in a very understandable manner discusses the basics of AHT biomechanics and injury evolution. Chapters on injury types discuss the basic background, causation, and treatment of AHT injuries while also documenting related conditions and possible abuse mimics. Dr. Fingarson's chapter on hypoxic-ischemic injuries nicely discusses causes and the radiologic and clinical evolution of these injuries, accompanied by prototypic images. Real injuries, such as venous sinus thrombosis, which are often within the legal venue, inappropriately, proposed as causing head injury findings as an alternative to AHT are succinctly summarized by Dr. Siffermann, while noting the lack of evidence that sinus thrombosis causes subdural hemorrhage. For a quick reference to multiple aspects of AHT, this book deserves a place on your bookshelf.

Kenneth W. Feldman, MD
Department of Pediatrics
Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center
Seattle, Washington