Children throughout the developed world are suffering: instances of obesity, dyslexia, ADHD, bad behaviour and so on are all on the rise. And it's not simply that our willingness to diagnose has increased, there are very real and growing problems. Sue Palmer, a former head teacher and literacy expert, has researched into a whole range of problem areas, from poor diet, a lack of exercise and sleep deprivation to a range of modern difficulties that are having a major effect: television, computer games, mobile phones. This combination of factors, added to the increasingly busy and stressed life of parents, means that we are developing a toxic new generation. Sue Palmer's wonderful book illustrates the latest research from around the world - in Japan, for example, use of chopsticks is declining rapidly among children - and provides answers for worried parents as to how they can protect their families from the problems of the modern world and help ensure that their children emerge as healthy, intelligent and pleasant adults.Toxic Childhood is an enormously important book that reveals the issues behind our general concerns that 'things are getting worse' and shows how you can make sure that your own children suffer as little as possible.