WHAT EVERY BABY KNOWS

Brazelton is one of the most popular and respected voices in pediatrics, but this guide fails to convey either the flavor or the information of the cable TV program on which it is based. Brazelton here presents five family case histories, each of which is used to illustrate a common childraising concern, such as sibling rivalry, discipline, sleep, and crying. Descriptions of the circumstances of the visit (""When the twins were about two, Paul and Nancy brought them to me for a check up"") and brief explanatory notes (""At this point I wanted to help Nancy understand her feelings about Mary even better"") are interspersed with lengthy excerpts of pediatrician-parent dialogue (""Nancy: Another problem is that Mary doesn't show that she's aware that there is another person around. . .Dr. Brazelton: Do you ever feel you'd like to whack her. . .,"" etc.). As always, Brazelton's advice is sound and sympathetic, with plenty of acknowledgement given to parents' basic competence. But the format here is a problem, far better suited to a TV program; readers can find help instead with Brazelton's other, superior guides.