Easy for You to Say: Q&As for Teens Living with Chronic Illness or Disability

By Miriam Kaufman and Dr. Miriam Kaufman BScN MD FRCP

Book Overview

Practical information for teens and their families.

Praise for the previous edition:
This very unusual book...is loaded with the kind of information disabled teens often need but may be too embarrassed to ask for.
--Booklist

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.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1770850996
• ISBN13: 9781770850996
• Release Date: July 2012
• Publisher: Firefly Books
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.3" x 8.4"
• Age Range: 14 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 9 to 12

Customer Reviews

Best thing that happened to me after I was dignosed at 14

This was probably the best thing hat happened to me just after I was diagnosed with a chronic illness in 2002, at 14. There are no empty words - like "You can't let the disease rule your life" or "It doesn't have to define who you are"- which is exactly the last thing a scared, angry and sad teenager needs. On the contrary, the book shows how much your life may change, that sometimes it won't be easy to be accepted by friends and boyfriends, who might not believe that you're tired or feeling sad or in pain. However for the very first time I understood that there are plenty of people out there who felt just as lost and aprehensive as I did and still managed to be "normal" (feeling just like everyone else is pretty important when we're growing up)and HAPPY! For the first time I didn't have anyone saying that maybe I was going to get better and THEN be happy but that I could have a great life even if I was sick!! The author covers everything from your relationship with your doctors, with your parents (and the different reactions they may have), your social life and even your sex life, all in a Q and A format. She uses the most popular questions teens have to discuss the themes in a sensitive, judge free way. It's totaly worthy!!

Helping Teens Cope

This book is the best I've seen for teens coping with chronic illness. Since there really is no comparable book written just for teens with IBD, this book should be required reading for teens and young adults that are newly diagnosed or having trouble coping with the difficulties of chronic illness. Dr. Kaufman reaches teenagers' most important concerns through easily understood questions and answers