The Boy Who Felt No Pain - Hardcover

A pediatric geneticist at Montefiore Hospital in New York City, Marion has intimate knowledge of caring for children with congenital malformations. In this selection of striking cases encountered in his career, he emphasizes the resilience of the human spirit that "cuts obstacles down to size" and provides humbling, as well as learning, experiences for medical practitioners. Marion's patients range from children born with grotesqueries (e.g., one child is faceless) to the boy of the title, diagnosed with hereditary sensory neuropathy, a condition that prevents him from feeling pain. These 14 moving and inspiring accounts show an empathetic doctor interacting with patients and their families, about whom he writes, "The parents of children born with some congenital malady or syndrome are not the same people they were prior to that birth."
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Marion, a pediatric geneticist, discusses 14 cases that have had a profound impact on his professional and personal outlook. As a medical student, he naively regarded a child's neural disorder which prevented pain sensation as a fortunate condition. This belief is dispelled as he begins to understand that children born with congenital malformations or genetically inherited or other diseases are unaware of alternatives; they either cope, survive, or succumb. Parents and medical staff, however, develop expectations, and at times such expectations are unrealistic. Often, the "real" patient, Marion says, is the care-giver rather than the child. Marion's sensitive portrayals and observations make this an excellent book, particularly for public libraries.
- Mary Hemmings, Univ. of Calgary Law Lib., Alberta
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.