Neurodivergent Youthhoods

Neurodivergent Youthhoods

Author: Shelda-Jane Smith

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2023-08-01

Total Pages: 171

ISBN-13: 1000920038

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Adolescent rites of passage are ubiquitous sociocultural processes that feature across all manner of social activity. As transitional healthcare becomes an increasing fixture within paediatric and adolescent healthcare, this book captures how normative, biomedical and psychologised understandings of youth development permeate social life. Through an in-depth institutional ethnography of a UK teenage epilepsy clinic, Shelda-Jane Smith shows how the prevailing social expectation of transforming from a dependent child into an independent, self-sufficient adult becomes the organising principle of clinical care. Interrogating the everyday work of the clinic and the experiences of parental and professional caregivers, Smith explores how the move from paediatric to adult healthcare gets renegotiated in the context of severe and profound learning disabilities, questioning what happens to transitional processes when young people do not conform to the social standards and expectations of youthhood that are placed upon them. From exploring the fervent application of neuro-psychological developmental models to interrogating expectations of individual independence, Smith draws from the disciplines of Science and Technology Studies, Critical Psychology and Disability Studies and Medical Anthropology to provide an invaluable lens for unpacking the underlying assumptions and tensions of care provision when young people do not emerge into adulthood in socially expected ways.


Book Synopsis Neurodivergent Youthhoods by : Shelda-Jane Smith

Download or read book Neurodivergent Youthhoods written by Shelda-Jane Smith and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2023-08-01 with total page 171 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Adolescent rites of passage are ubiquitous sociocultural processes that feature across all manner of social activity. As transitional healthcare becomes an increasing fixture within paediatric and adolescent healthcare, this book captures how normative, biomedical and psychologised understandings of youth development permeate social life. Through an in-depth institutional ethnography of a UK teenage epilepsy clinic, Shelda-Jane Smith shows how the prevailing social expectation of transforming from a dependent child into an independent, self-sufficient adult becomes the organising principle of clinical care. Interrogating the everyday work of the clinic and the experiences of parental and professional caregivers, Smith explores how the move from paediatric to adult healthcare gets renegotiated in the context of severe and profound learning disabilities, questioning what happens to transitional processes when young people do not conform to the social standards and expectations of youthhood that are placed upon them. From exploring the fervent application of neuro-psychological developmental models to interrogating expectations of individual independence, Smith draws from the disciplines of Science and Technology Studies, Critical Psychology and Disability Studies and Medical Anthropology to provide an invaluable lens for unpacking the underlying assumptions and tensions of care provision when young people do not emerge into adulthood in socially expected ways.

The Parentectomy a Memoir

The Parentectomy a Memoir

Author: Kimber Adams

Publisher: Xlibris Corporation

Published: 2009-06-01

Total Pages: 279

ISBN-13: 9781441517982

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In a "winner takes all" culture, children caught in divorce have become the grand prize. Experts claim parental alienation has reached epidemic proportions in our country. Parents are only human, but when they indulge in their own unhealthy feelings and make a deliberate attempt to win a child's loyalty, they are perpetrators of bond abuse, also known as parental alienation. Taking a rigid stance for custody in divorce and coercing a child to devalue the bond they share with a parent, results in shattering widespread loss. Be ready for an edge-of-your-seat narrative that keeps you enthralled to the last page. The Parentectomy is an enlightening and heartrending depiction of the tactics involved in perpetrating parental alienation and the resilient courage of a mother determined to minimize the damage. The story begins with the Sullivan family's expatriation to Austria where the troubled marriage of Peter and Paige collapses. Single-minded self-interest causes Peter to align their children with himself, making them his most powerful weapon in the crusade he has waged against his wife. Trapped in dire circumstances in a foreign country without a network of loved ones or the judicial system she needs, Paige meets Viktor, a local who offers new perspective. Paige and Viktor's devotion to each other escalates, culminating in a dynamic that further obscures the truth. Lifestyle and philosophical differences merge in the love story combining two cultures determined to realize the best of both worlds. The Parentectomy is a gripping novel that explores the multidimensional consequences of parental alienation and bond abuse. From the children's rejection of their loved and full-time mother to her anguishing decision and the encouraging events that follow, you will be captivated by this story. If you want to learn more about parental alienation and how it is perpetrated, The Parentectomy will enlighten you. If you are caught in the grip of parental alienation and the devastating consequences it has on those entangled in its complexities, The Parentectomy will validate you, restore your confidence, and raise your spirits. American author, Kimber Adams, mother of five, lives with her family in Vienna, Austria.


Book Synopsis The Parentectomy a Memoir by : Kimber Adams

Download or read book The Parentectomy a Memoir written by Kimber Adams and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2009-06-01 with total page 279 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a "winner takes all" culture, children caught in divorce have become the grand prize. Experts claim parental alienation has reached epidemic proportions in our country. Parents are only human, but when they indulge in their own unhealthy feelings and make a deliberate attempt to win a child's loyalty, they are perpetrators of bond abuse, also known as parental alienation. Taking a rigid stance for custody in divorce and coercing a child to devalue the bond they share with a parent, results in shattering widespread loss. Be ready for an edge-of-your-seat narrative that keeps you enthralled to the last page. The Parentectomy is an enlightening and heartrending depiction of the tactics involved in perpetrating parental alienation and the resilient courage of a mother determined to minimize the damage. The story begins with the Sullivan family's expatriation to Austria where the troubled marriage of Peter and Paige collapses. Single-minded self-interest causes Peter to align their children with himself, making them his most powerful weapon in the crusade he has waged against his wife. Trapped in dire circumstances in a foreign country without a network of loved ones or the judicial system she needs, Paige meets Viktor, a local who offers new perspective. Paige and Viktor's devotion to each other escalates, culminating in a dynamic that further obscures the truth. Lifestyle and philosophical differences merge in the love story combining two cultures determined to realize the best of both worlds. The Parentectomy is a gripping novel that explores the multidimensional consequences of parental alienation and bond abuse. From the children's rejection of their loved and full-time mother to her anguishing decision and the encouraging events that follow, you will be captivated by this story. If you want to learn more about parental alienation and how it is perpetrated, The Parentectomy will enlighten you. If you are caught in the grip of parental alienation and the devastating consequences it has on those entangled in its complexities, The Parentectomy will validate you, restore your confidence, and raise your spirits. American author, Kimber Adams, mother of five, lives with her family in Vienna, Austria.

Psychosocial Family Interventions in Chronic Pediatric Illness

Psychosocial Family Interventions in Chronic Pediatric Illness

Author: Adolph E. Christ

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-03-09

Total Pages: 213

ISBN-13: 1468442473

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The symposium "Family Dynamics, Family Therapy, and Pediatric Medical Illness," held at Downstate Medical Center on December 12 and 13, 1980, considered the impact of life-threatening illness in children and adolescents on intrafamilial dynamics. A group of experts addressed the practical and theoretical psychological and social issues facing pediatric patients and their families when con fronting chronic and severe childhood illnesses including brain damage, cancer, hemophilia, juvenile diabetes, and heart disease. The presentations and group discussions clearly revealed the complexity of physical and psychological problems posed by the seriously ill child with chronic disease for both the health care provider and the family. The conference proceedings confirm that quality care and treatment for the ill child requires the partici pation of a variety of health care disciplines representing diverse fields of knowledge. Pediatricians, family practitioners, child psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, psychologists, nutritionists and others all have important collaborative roles to play. The symposium participants wrestled with some of the basic developmental and clinical questions: How is the ongoing development of a family altered as a result of chronic incapacitating illness in a child member? How can principles of intensive family and individ ual psychotherapy be applied during the medical treatment of life threatening illness? What are the psychological stress points during the course of a chronic medical illness? These are but a few of the issues addressed in this publication.


Book Synopsis Psychosocial Family Interventions in Chronic Pediatric Illness by : Adolph E. Christ

Download or read book Psychosocial Family Interventions in Chronic Pediatric Illness written by Adolph E. Christ and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-03-09 with total page 213 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The symposium "Family Dynamics, Family Therapy, and Pediatric Medical Illness," held at Downstate Medical Center on December 12 and 13, 1980, considered the impact of life-threatening illness in children and adolescents on intrafamilial dynamics. A group of experts addressed the practical and theoretical psychological and social issues facing pediatric patients and their families when con fronting chronic and severe childhood illnesses including brain damage, cancer, hemophilia, juvenile diabetes, and heart disease. The presentations and group discussions clearly revealed the complexity of physical and psychological problems posed by the seriously ill child with chronic disease for both the health care provider and the family. The conference proceedings confirm that quality care and treatment for the ill child requires the partici pation of a variety of health care disciplines representing diverse fields of knowledge. Pediatricians, family practitioners, child psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, psychologists, nutritionists and others all have important collaborative roles to play. The symposium participants wrestled with some of the basic developmental and clinical questions: How is the ongoing development of a family altered as a result of chronic incapacitating illness in a child member? How can principles of intensive family and individ ual psychotherapy be applied during the medical treatment of life threatening illness? What are the psychological stress points during the course of a chronic medical illness? These are but a few of the issues addressed in this publication.

Parentectomy

Parentectomy

Author: Marty Gottesfeld

Publisher: BookRix

Published: 2016-08-25

Total Pages: 180

ISBN-13: 3739670258

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An engineer learns about the "troubled teen industry" when his girlfriend asks him to investigate the draconian residential treatment center her brother attends, Logan River Academy. He tries to resist getting involved in her family's matters at first, but when he uncovers the extent of the documented institutionalized abuse of children in America, he takes a technological approach to making a difference.


Book Synopsis Parentectomy by : Marty Gottesfeld

Download or read book Parentectomy written by Marty Gottesfeld and published by BookRix. This book was released on 2016-08-25 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An engineer learns about the "troubled teen industry" when his girlfriend asks him to investigate the draconian residential treatment center her brother attends, Logan River Academy. He tries to resist getting involved in her family's matters at first, but when he uncovers the extent of the documented institutionalized abuse of children in America, he takes a technological approach to making a difference.

Parentectomy

Parentectomy

Author: Christine Giancarlo

Publisher:

Published: 2018-12-26

Total Pages: 582

ISBN-13: 9780228808060

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When parents separate and divorce, kids come last in family law. Should children's welfare be measured in "billable hours"? Christine Giancarlo thinks kids come first and need both parents. Parentectomy moves us toward that goal... for the sake of the children. Based on Dr. Giancarlo's peer-reviewed research study, Kids Come Last: The Effect of Family Law Involvement in Parental Alienation, this book tells, in their own voices, the stories of thirty loving, capable and dependable parents who, nonetheless, were removed from their children's lives. It is also the author's own journey through the devastation caused by parental alienation. This book sheds light on an urgent social crisis, enabled by a broken family law system. An equitable and just model for eliminating this form of child abuse is proposed with an urgent plea for its implementation.


Book Synopsis Parentectomy by : Christine Giancarlo

Download or read book Parentectomy written by Christine Giancarlo and published by . This book was released on 2018-12-26 with total page 582 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When parents separate and divorce, kids come last in family law. Should children's welfare be measured in "billable hours"? Christine Giancarlo thinks kids come first and need both parents. Parentectomy moves us toward that goal... for the sake of the children. Based on Dr. Giancarlo's peer-reviewed research study, Kids Come Last: The Effect of Family Law Involvement in Parental Alienation, this book tells, in their own voices, the stories of thirty loving, capable and dependable parents who, nonetheless, were removed from their children's lives. It is also the author's own journey through the devastation caused by parental alienation. This book sheds light on an urgent social crisis, enabled by a broken family law system. An equitable and just model for eliminating this form of child abuse is proposed with an urgent plea for its implementation.

Parental Alienation, DSM-5, and ICD-11

Parental Alienation, DSM-5, and ICD-11

Author: William Bernet

Publisher: Charles C Thomas Publisher

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 264

ISBN-13: 0398079455

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Parental alienation is an important phenomenon that mental health professionals should know about and thoroughly understand, especially those who work with children, adolescents, divorced adults, and adults whose parents divorced when they were children. In this book, the authors define parental alienation as a mental condition in which a child - usually one whose parents are engaged in a high- conflict divorce - allies himself or herself strongly with one parent (the preferred parent) and rejects a relationship with the other parent (the alienated parent) without legitimate justification. This process leads to a tragic outcome when the child and the alienated parent, who previously had a loving and mutually satisfying relationship, lose the nurture and joy of that relationship for many years and perhaps for their lifetimes. We estimate that 1 percent of children and adolescents in the U.S. experience parental alienation. When the phenomenon is properly recognized, this condition is preventable and treatable in many instances. The authors of this book believe that parental alienation is not simply a minor aberration in the life of a family, but a serious mental condition. Because of the false belief that the alienated parent is a dangerous or unworthy person, the child loses one of the most important relationships in his or her life. This book contains much information about the validity, reliability, and prevalence of parental alienation. It also includes a comprehensive international bibliography regarding parental alienation with more than 600 citations. In order to bring life to the definitions and the technical writing, several short clinical vignettes have been included. These vignettes are based on actual families and real events, but have been modified to protect the privacy of both the parents and children.


Book Synopsis Parental Alienation, DSM-5, and ICD-11 by : William Bernet

Download or read book Parental Alienation, DSM-5, and ICD-11 written by William Bernet and published by Charles C Thomas Publisher. This book was released on 2010 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Parental alienation is an important phenomenon that mental health professionals should know about and thoroughly understand, especially those who work with children, adolescents, divorced adults, and adults whose parents divorced when they were children. In this book, the authors define parental alienation as a mental condition in which a child - usually one whose parents are engaged in a high- conflict divorce - allies himself or herself strongly with one parent (the preferred parent) and rejects a relationship with the other parent (the alienated parent) without legitimate justification. This process leads to a tragic outcome when the child and the alienated parent, who previously had a loving and mutually satisfying relationship, lose the nurture and joy of that relationship for many years and perhaps for their lifetimes. We estimate that 1 percent of children and adolescents in the U.S. experience parental alienation. When the phenomenon is properly recognized, this condition is preventable and treatable in many instances. The authors of this book believe that parental alienation is not simply a minor aberration in the life of a family, but a serious mental condition. Because of the false belief that the alienated parent is a dangerous or unworthy person, the child loses one of the most important relationships in his or her life. This book contains much information about the validity, reliability, and prevalence of parental alienation. It also includes a comprehensive international bibliography regarding parental alienation with more than 600 citations. In order to bring life to the definitions and the technical writing, several short clinical vignettes have been included. These vignettes are based on actual families and real events, but have been modified to protect the privacy of both the parents and children.

Working With Families in Medical Settings

Working With Families in Medical Settings

Author: Alison M. Heru

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-08-21

Total Pages: 268

ISBN-13: 1136641580

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Working With Families in Medical Settings provides mental-health professionals with the tools they need to figure out what patients and families want and how, within the constraints imposed by 21st-century healthcare setting, to best give them the care they need. Psychiatrists and other clinicians who work in medical settings know that working with a patient with a chronic illness usually entails work with that patient’s family as well as with other medical professionals. Some families need education; others have specific difficulties or dysfunctions that require skilled assessment and intervention. It is up to the clinician to find productive ways to work with common themes in family life: expressed emotion, levels of resilience, life-cycle issues, and adaptation to illness, among others. Enter Working With Families in Medical Settings, which shines a spotlight on the major issues professional caregivers face and shows them how to structure an effective intervention in all kinds of settings. Psychiatrists, particularly those in psychosomatic medicine, and other clinicians who work with the medically ill will find Working With Families in Medical Settings to be an essential resource and guide to productive relationships with patients and their families.


Book Synopsis Working With Families in Medical Settings by : Alison M. Heru

Download or read book Working With Families in Medical Settings written by Alison M. Heru and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-08-21 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Working With Families in Medical Settings provides mental-health professionals with the tools they need to figure out what patients and families want and how, within the constraints imposed by 21st-century healthcare setting, to best give them the care they need. Psychiatrists and other clinicians who work in medical settings know that working with a patient with a chronic illness usually entails work with that patient’s family as well as with other medical professionals. Some families need education; others have specific difficulties or dysfunctions that require skilled assessment and intervention. It is up to the clinician to find productive ways to work with common themes in family life: expressed emotion, levels of resilience, life-cycle issues, and adaptation to illness, among others. Enter Working With Families in Medical Settings, which shines a spotlight on the major issues professional caregivers face and shows them how to structure an effective intervention in all kinds of settings. Psychiatrists, particularly those in psychosomatic medicine, and other clinicians who work with the medically ill will find Working With Families in Medical Settings to be an essential resource and guide to productive relationships with patients and their families.

Where Did I Go Wrong? How Did I Miss the Signs? Dealing with Hostile Parenting & Parental Alienation

Where Did I Go Wrong? How Did I Miss the Signs? Dealing with Hostile Parenting & Parental Alienation

Author: Joan Kloth-Zanard

Publisher: Lulu.com

Published: 2010-09-13

Total Pages: 367

ISBN-13: 0557447798

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Where Did I Go Wrong? How Did I Miss The Signs? is a prevention and intervention resource tool for parents, courts, attorney's, counselors, agencies and anyone else who needs help with high conflict divorce and relationships. From start to finish, this book talks about divorce, marriage, hostile aggressive parenting during and after a divorce, how to deal with this, and help the children to thrive. From cover to cover, this book is filled with information to help stop the snowball affect of high conflict divorce, hostile aggressive parenting, all of which leads to the psychological abuse of the children by destroying their relationship with one of their parents or another relative. It is the hope that this book can help prevent this abuse from happening and help these families to move forward in a healthy, positive and successful way.


Book Synopsis Where Did I Go Wrong? How Did I Miss the Signs? Dealing with Hostile Parenting & Parental Alienation by : Joan Kloth-Zanard

Download or read book Where Did I Go Wrong? How Did I Miss the Signs? Dealing with Hostile Parenting & Parental Alienation written by Joan Kloth-Zanard and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2010-09-13 with total page 367 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Where Did I Go Wrong? How Did I Miss The Signs? is a prevention and intervention resource tool for parents, courts, attorney's, counselors, agencies and anyone else who needs help with high conflict divorce and relationships. From start to finish, this book talks about divorce, marriage, hostile aggressive parenting during and after a divorce, how to deal with this, and help the children to thrive. From cover to cover, this book is filled with information to help stop the snowball affect of high conflict divorce, hostile aggressive parenting, all of which leads to the psychological abuse of the children by destroying their relationship with one of their parents or another relative. It is the hope that this book can help prevent this abuse from happening and help these families to move forward in a healthy, positive and successful way.

The Parentectomy a Memoir

The Parentectomy a Memoir

Author: Kimber Adams

Publisher: Xlibris Corporation

Published: 2009-11

Total Pages: 280

ISBN-13: 9781441517975

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In a "winner takes all" culture, children caught in divorce have become the grand prize. Experts claim parental alienation has reached epidemic proportions in our country. Parents are only human, but when they indulge in their own unhealthy feelings and make a deliberate attempt to win a child's loyalty, they are perpetrators of bond abuse, also known as parental alienation. Taking a rigid stance for custody in divorce and coercing a child to devalue the bond they share with a parent, results in shattering widespread loss. Be ready for an edge-of-your-seat narrative that keeps you enthralled to the last page. The Parentectomy is an enlightening and heartrending depiction of the tactics involved in perpetrating parental alienation and the resilient courage of a mother determined to minimize the damage. The story begins with the Sullivan family's expatriation to Austria where the troubled marriage of Peter and Paige collapses. Single-minded self-interest causes Peter to align their children with himself, making them his most powerful weapon in the crusade he has waged against his wife. Trapped in dire circumstances in a foreign country without a network of loved ones or the judicial system she needs, Paige meets Viktor, a local who offers new perspective. Paige and Viktor's devotion to each other escalates, culminating in a dynamic that further obscures the truth. Lifestyle and philosophical differences merge in the love story combining two cultures determined to realize the best of both worlds. The Parentectomy is a gripping novel that explores the multidimensional consequences of parental alienation and bond abuse. From the children's rejection of their loved and full-time mother to her anguishing decision and the encouraging events that follow, you will be captivated by this story. If you want to learn more about parental alienation and how it is perpetrated, The Parentectomy will enlighten you. If you are caught in the grip of parental alienation and the devastating consequences it has on those entangled in its complexities, The Parentectomy will validate you, restore your confidence, and raise your spirits. American author, Kimber Adams, mother of five, lives with her family in Vienna, Austria.


Book Synopsis The Parentectomy a Memoir by : Kimber Adams

Download or read book The Parentectomy a Memoir written by Kimber Adams and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2009-11 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a "winner takes all" culture, children caught in divorce have become the grand prize. Experts claim parental alienation has reached epidemic proportions in our country. Parents are only human, but when they indulge in their own unhealthy feelings and make a deliberate attempt to win a child's loyalty, they are perpetrators of bond abuse, also known as parental alienation. Taking a rigid stance for custody in divorce and coercing a child to devalue the bond they share with a parent, results in shattering widespread loss. Be ready for an edge-of-your-seat narrative that keeps you enthralled to the last page. The Parentectomy is an enlightening and heartrending depiction of the tactics involved in perpetrating parental alienation and the resilient courage of a mother determined to minimize the damage. The story begins with the Sullivan family's expatriation to Austria where the troubled marriage of Peter and Paige collapses. Single-minded self-interest causes Peter to align their children with himself, making them his most powerful weapon in the crusade he has waged against his wife. Trapped in dire circumstances in a foreign country without a network of loved ones or the judicial system she needs, Paige meets Viktor, a local who offers new perspective. Paige and Viktor's devotion to each other escalates, culminating in a dynamic that further obscures the truth. Lifestyle and philosophical differences merge in the love story combining two cultures determined to realize the best of both worlds. The Parentectomy is a gripping novel that explores the multidimensional consequences of parental alienation and bond abuse. From the children's rejection of their loved and full-time mother to her anguishing decision and the encouraging events that follow, you will be captivated by this story. If you want to learn more about parental alienation and how it is perpetrated, The Parentectomy will enlighten you. If you are caught in the grip of parental alienation and the devastating consequences it has on those entangled in its complexities, The Parentectomy will validate you, restore your confidence, and raise your spirits. American author, Kimber Adams, mother of five, lives with her family in Vienna, Austria.

Breathing Space

Breathing Space

Author: Gregg Mitman

Publisher: Yale University Press

Published: 2008-10-01

Total Pages: 330

ISBN-13: 0300138326

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Allergy is the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States. More than fifty million Americans suffer from allergies, and they spend an estimated $18 billion coping with them. Yet despite advances in biomedicine and enormous investment in research over the past fifty years, the burden of allergic disease continues to grow. Why have we failed to reverse this trend? Breathing Space offers an intimate portrait of how allergic disease has shaped American culture, landscape, and life. Drawing on environmental, medical, and cultural history and the life stories of people, plants, and insects, Mitman traces how America’s changing environment from the late 1800s to the present day has led to the epidemic growth of allergic disease. We have seen a never-ending stream of solutions to combat allergies, from hay fever resorts, herbicides, and air-conditioned homes to numerous potions and pills. But, as Mitman shows, despite the quest for a magic bullet, none of the attempted solutions has succeeded. Until we address how our changing environment—physical, biological, social, and economic—has helped to create America’s allergic landscape, that hoped-for success will continue to elude us.


Book Synopsis Breathing Space by : Gregg Mitman

Download or read book Breathing Space written by Gregg Mitman and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2008-10-01 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Allergy is the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States. More than fifty million Americans suffer from allergies, and they spend an estimated $18 billion coping with them. Yet despite advances in biomedicine and enormous investment in research over the past fifty years, the burden of allergic disease continues to grow. Why have we failed to reverse this trend? Breathing Space offers an intimate portrait of how allergic disease has shaped American culture, landscape, and life. Drawing on environmental, medical, and cultural history and the life stories of people, plants, and insects, Mitman traces how America’s changing environment from the late 1800s to the present day has led to the epidemic growth of allergic disease. We have seen a never-ending stream of solutions to combat allergies, from hay fever resorts, herbicides, and air-conditioned homes to numerous potions and pills. But, as Mitman shows, despite the quest for a magic bullet, none of the attempted solutions has succeeded. Until we address how our changing environment—physical, biological, social, and economic—has helped to create America’s allergic landscape, that hoped-for success will continue to elude us.