Hamlyn 2005

This is a practical, well-presented guide to good sleep techniques for children aged from birth to six years. The authors are Mandy Gurney and Tracey Marshall, health professionals who have set up Millpond Children’s Sleep Clinic. They have also featured in a number of television programmes on infant sleep.

Their book reinforces tried and tested strategies for preventing sleep problems and also for solving them. Many of these are well known to health visitors, but the book would be a useful reference book for both students and experienced colleagues, especially as sleep queries constitute a high percentage of problems expressed by parents.

The book is not only clear in its presentation of information, with a logical sequence of chapters, but also contains beautiful colour photographs of parents and infants.

The information is specific and helpful: for example, the authors define the difference between nightmares and night terrors. The chapter on tackling sleep problems begins with 10 key questions to assess the child’s problem. The final chapter consists of 21 case studies of varying problems with the solutions used at the Millpond Clinic. You can visit the Millpond Clinic website at: http://www.mill-pond.co.uk/.

Reviewed by: Amanda Wildbore, Health visitor, Trafford NHS Healthcare Trust