This new third edition covers conditions seen in the primary care of children, emphasizing prevention as well as management of problems from the nurse practitioner perspective. It begins with an overview of the status of children in the United States and a review of developmental theory, followed by guidelines on how to assess children and families. A significant portion of the text is devoted to issues of daily living that are a part of every child's growth and issues that could lead to health problems (nutrition, toilet training) unless appropriate guidance is given. Disease processes often encountered by the pediatric primary provider are addressed through discussions of assessment, differential diagnosis, management, and prevention.