The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 277 No 7407 p21
1 July 2006

Valuable book devoted to childhood depression — a serious subject

‘So young, so sad, so listen’ (2nd edition), by Philip Graham and Carol Hughes. Pp 64. Price £7.50. London: Gaskell; 2005. ISBN 1 904671 23 3

This is a book about depression in children, written by psychiatrists for parents and teachers. It is a short book divided into seven chapters and includes numerous case vignettes and cartoons to illustrate and amplify the text. Subjects include the symptoms of depression (“a savage and merciless disease”), its causes and treatments, and what can be done to help children with depression. Readers are also directed towards other information sources and relevant organisations.

This is a serious subject. Depression occurs quite commonly in children and particularly adolescents and has the potential to wreck the lives of both sufferers and their families. This book tackles the subject in an exceptionally clear and concise manner and in a tone that is neither too flippant nor too academic. Facts are presented in context such that they are readily absorbed. Misconceptions about depression are tackled sensitively but robustly. Complex theories about the interplay of genes and environment are expressed with such clarity that the reader hardly notices that there is anything complicated to be grasped.

This is a valuable book that, if used, is likely to have a considerable impact on the recognition and treatment of childhood depression. Although not specifically intended for pharmacists it is, nonetheless, an essential resource for anyone involved in the treatment of depression in children.


David Taylor (chief pharmacist, South London and Maudsley NHS Trust and honorary senior lecturer, Institute of Psychiatry)