Responses to Traumatized Children. Edited by Amer A. Hosin. Palgrave Macmillan. 2007. 321pp. £55.00 (hb). ISBN 1403996806

There is no shortage of traumatic experience in the world. High rates of prevalence are well documented, especially in areas affected by war and natural disaster, as are the effects of trauma on mental health. Children are especially vulnerable. In the past half century or so there has been a U-turn in our understanding of how children are affected by trauma and how best to help. It used to be believed that children are not deeply affected by trauma and, if not reminded, they will soon forget and recover. We now know that this is not the case and children, especially young children, can be affected in a lasting way by trauma unless they receive timely, appropriate and effective help. ¹

But what is effective help, and what do we know about the approaches that are most effective for children? This book seeks to address these questions and others. For example, what are the priorities for intervening in situations such as natural disaster? What type of support can prevent the development of mental health problems? Can resilience be enhanced? How can mental health professionals make a useful contribution to the mental health of refugees and children affected by war? The evidence base for guiding mental health interventions remains scanty in many key areas.

This ambitious book sets out to provide clinicians working in the challenging and diverse field of child trauma with an accessible summary of the available evidence and a guide to current good practice across a broad range of topics, for example, diagnostic assessment, building resilience, dealing with natural disaster such as hurricane Katrina and work with refugees. The contributors are experienced clinicians from the UK and the USA. Each chapter provides a clinical perspective and also a helpful review of literature with extensive references. The chapter on psychopharmacology, however, is disappointing, lacking adequate coverage of the neurobiological or developmental perspectives. In addition to the topics already mentioned, this book gives space for some important contextual issues, for example, the need to consider how best to protect clinicians from the effects of secondary trauma and burnout; working across different cultural perspectives and the importance of working with parents and families of children affected by trauma.