The teen years are some of the most demanding. Even the most well-adjusted youth struggles with the intense daily challenges of friends, family, school and wider society. But these problems pale in comparison to those faced by teenagers with a handicap or chronic illness such as spina bifida or cystic fibrosis. "Get over it" or "it's just a phase" is idle advice and little more than offensive. "Easy for you to say," is the teenager's often-heard -- and reasonable -- response. Easy for You to Say profiles the lives of uniquely challenged teens as they work hard to make sense of the world and their places in it. The questions they pose are frank and courageous, many include street language that teens can identify with and readily understand. The issues front and center in their lives are addressed, such as family, doctors and medical issues, friends and dating, school and work, alcohol and street drugs, medications and sexuality. Useful charts give reliable information on medication interactions and side effects. Kaufman is straightforward and honest, and provides solid information. Easy for You to Say to Say addresses issues that often are not easy or pretty. It offers solid practical advice, straight talk and honest answers to questions that many would be too embarrassed to ask. AUTHOR: Miriam Kaufman BSN, MD, FRCPC, is a pediatrician with the Division of Adolescent Medicine at The Hospital for Sick Children and associate professor, Department of Pediatrics, at the University of Toronto. She has been working with teens with chronic illness or disability for more than 20 years.
