The Frith Prescribing Guidelines for Adults with Learning Disability. Sabyasachi Bhaumik & David Brenford (eds). London: Taylor & Francis, 2005, £24.95, pp. 155 ISBN 1841845736

As a child it was often said to me that ‘Good things come in little parcels’. This sentiment applies to this book, which although being slender contains invaluable information to guide clinicians faced with the task of managing adults with learning disability who have additional mental health problems, behavioural problems and/or epilepsy.

Compared with the general population, individuals with learning disability often respond differently to standard psychiatric (and other) medication and may be exquisitely sensitive to such medication and its side-effects. Many clinicians are justifiably cautious when prescribing for these patients and are often obliged to seek the advice of their more experienced colleagues; advice that may be more anecdotal than evidence based. Thus it was with a sense of professional delight, mingled with relief, that I received this book.

The book covers all the major psychiatric disorders and challenging behaviours that most professionals working with people with learning disability are likely to come across in their daily practice. Each chapter has a clear, logical format and benefits from being succinct with a pleasing absence of verbosity. The authors use sub-headings to full effect and bullet points draw attention to important facts. Chapters that are particularly strong are those on the management of epilepsy in people with learning disability and the management of affective disorders.

The authors clarify treatment options/pathways by the liberal use of treatment algorithms in most chapters. Although this strategy is helpful, some of the algorithms are difficult to follow (particularly that for the treatment of aggression (pages 59-61)).

Having read this text several times I am convinced that it will become an invaluable aide, not only to my psychiatric colleagues but also to other mental health professionals and general practitioners, all of whom regularly treat people with learning disability. For the future, the publication of guidelines for prescribing for children and adolescents with learning disability and co-morbid mental health problems, epilepsy and/or challenging behaviours would be very welcome… please?