Respiratory Illness in Children

Abstract

The fourth edition of Respiratory Illness in Children is a well-written and thoughtful review of the most common respiratory disorders in children. This book is influenced by the faculty of the Department of Thoracic Medicine at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. This influence is commendable, considering this department's contributions to the field of pediatric pulmonary medicine. In addition, an update about the lung in human immunodeficiency virus infection is included. The book begins with a description of lung growth and development, followed by chapters dealing with the approach to the pediatric patient with various respiratory disorders: pathologic aspects of the disease process, pathophysiological considerations, clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, and principles of therapy. The authors decided to omit discussion of lung function testing and respiratory physiology from this edition. A chapter about respiratory noises is particularly useful for medical students and house officers. An in-depth review of the pathogenesis and