This is a comprehensive overview of the clinical topics common to child and adolescent psychiatry. The chapters include many summary tables and figures, all helpfully listed in the contents pages, which allows the reader to easily locate specific areas of interest within the text. As a higher specialist trainee in child and adolescent psychiatry, this particular aspect of the book is invaluable to me, providing a concise snapshot of a specific topic to help support decisions in day-to-day clinical practice, for instance tables that inform switching between different pharmacological agents. The chapters also include case vignettes, which allow the reader to reflect on the theory discussed through observation in clinical practice.

The pharmacology chapters are particularly useful in considering the evidence base for psychotropic medication used. The summary of treatment studies and trials is helpful in putting this evidence into context as is the inclusion of up-to-date National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

The clinical topics are comprehensively covered with epidemiology, aetiology, diagnostic classification, clinical presentation and prognosis exhaustively detailed. The book is up to date with current classification systems, including DSM-5, and frequently draws comparisons between diagnostic criteria, namely the DSM-5 and ICD-10, in relation to clinical conditions, for example bipolar affective disorder.

There is an entire chapter dedicated to self-harm in adolescents. Given that this area occupies a large proportion of day-to-day clinical work, a firm grasp on how self-harm manifests, associated demographics and risk factors is essential. Practical advice discussed within the text, namely risk assessment and management, is further summarised in bullet-point format within boxes to consolidate knowledge and aid clinical practice.

This text strikes a good balance of theoretical knowledge with sound, practical advice supported by robust evidence, enabling its use as a reference text in day-to-day clinical practice.