Rating: 
Summary: CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT!!
Review: This is, by far, the best child care reference book out there. Even my pediatrician has it on their "Must Own" list. It covers everything, soup to nuts, that you would want to know. Baby sick? Use this book. Question about feeding? Use thi sbook. Question about ANYTHING? Use this book. My husband and I have already broken the binding! I started reading it in the hospital a few hours after my daughter was born and it even helped in the hospital (cleaning the cord, etc. -- you name it, they got it covered!). You can use it as a reference or read it chapter by chapter or by age. It's fantastic. I plan to give this as a gift to every new mom I know.
Rating:
Summary: FACTUAL, COMPLETE AND EXTREMELY HELPFUL!
Review: How I wish this wonderful, complete reference book had been available when my three daughters were little ones. Now all three are grown adults, and two have children of their own. This is a terrific book, and one which will be highly recommended to those encountering the wonders, and sometimes fearful experiences, of parenthood.What is so impressive about this particular book is the way it is organized and "complete" - a one stop shop for advice. The fact the advice comes from a sound and reliable source is definitely another huge plus. There are many books available in the marketplace on child care and development but often they contain information based on personal opinion and not necessarily sound and qualified expertise. This book excells in professional and qualified opinions. The extensive content covers a w-i-d-e range of topics: nutrition; basic child care; physical, emotional and social development; first aid and common illnesses; family structures; behaviour issues, etc. The presentation style is easy to read, factual, and outlines the information in such a way that it is practical but does not instill undue fear and anxiety into the parent(s). I believe every parent goes through that stage when we tend to automatically assume the worst possible illness is going to befell our child only to discover, after a visit to our family physician, our fears were totally unfounded. It is human nature to react that way because we love our children and want to keep them safe and healthy. Whether a child has a common cold or an ear infection, we tend to lose as much sleep as the child, simply out of concern and worry. This unnerving experience is magnified if this happens to be your first child. Knowing what I know now, both as a parent and in the field of psychology, if anyone asked me for a book on a child's first formative years, this would be one of the first I would recommend, and it certainly is worth the price.
Rating: 
Summary: Good information, but somewhat biased...
Review: Overall, the book presents decent information, but I found it to be quite biased it its opinion of circumcision. The book states much misleading information on the topic and often quotes tragically outdated and long debunked myths and and as result suggests a strong preference to circumcision on part of the author. I would strongly suggest reading other books if one were inclined to research this issue further, particularly from an author with a less biased perspective.
Rating:
Summary: An invaluable resource - we refer to it constantly
Review: A friend gave us this book shortly before our first child was born (we have a son and a younger daughter). It fast became our security blanket as new parents. It is a comprehensive resource that always seems to be able to answer any question we have or provide some guidance for any situation that we run into. More specifically, what we like is: - how good it is at explaining the behaviors of our son and daughter at both their infant and toddler stages - just understanding the mystery of what may be upsetting or frustrating to them helps us deal with it
- multiple doctors contributed to the book, which increases our confidence that 1) they are qualified to provide this critical information, and 2) the information and suggestions presented are reasonably accepted as mainstream
- the milestones, which allow you to clearly guage your child's progress on a physical, mental, and social level throughout his/her early development The book is laid out in two logical sections. The first set of chapters is arranged chronologically, making it easy to reference the information relevant to your child's age. The second set of chapters focuses on illnesses, diseases, and infections, often segmented by body part or organ (nose, eyes, heart, etc.). We've found it very easy to pinpoint the information we are looking for. My wife actually reads each chronological chapter as our son approaches that age bracket and then we refer to it as necessary. The book has been particularly helpful with sleep issues (that alone is worth the price of the book - believe me!). We became such fans of this book that we gave it to some friends of ours two months ago, as their first child was arriving. They have thanked us more than once, calling the book a lifesaver. What else do you need to know? This doesn't have to be the only book you buy or use. But it should definitely be one of them.
Rating:
Summary: Authoritative answers for your early childhood questions.
Review: For children in the first five years of life I recommend Caring for Your Baby and Young Child edited by Steven Shelov and distributed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This comprehensive guide is divided into two major sections. The first half of the book is arranged by age so whether your child is a newborn, 15 months old, or three years old you can easily look up your child's age and find out the major issues concerning safety, feeding, sleeping, fears, common problem, etc. for that time period. Doing this periodically will prove quite useful. I do it from time to time to get a fresh look at my own children. The second half of this book is encyclopedic. Common problems of the first five years of life are arranged in alphabetical order so when your child has an ear infection, or a sore throat, or a head ache you can quickly turn and get a brief, authoritative answer to your question.
Alan R. Greene, M.D., F.A.A.P.
Dr. Greene's HouseCalls -- Pediatric Wisdom for the Information Age
http://www.drgreene.com
Rating:
Summary: Great baby shower gift
Review: I received this book as a gift when my son was born 3 years ago, and it has remained an invaluable tool for us. My favorite and most-used section is the dosage charts based on weight for Tylenol and Advil, a necessity when it's 11pm and baby has a fever. But half of the book is devoted to explaining the signs, symptoms, and treatments for many conditions. We refer to it constantly, and I gave it as a gift to my friend when she had her baby, and she constantly tells me that it was one of the best gifts she's ever received. I'm here today to buy another one for my sister...This is really bedside reading for any parent, and it's a great comfort and tool.
Rating:
Summary: Useful and General Information for New Parents
Review: I learned some from this text but expected more. The text remains fairly general and that's okay. I had hoped to read more about disabled children and how to give the disabled children the best possible potential in life (without government intrusion). I got so MUCH out of disabling America (ISBN #0785262253) and I went here to learn from a medical perspective what I wanted to learn. I do understand this must maintain a general nature and in that light, it's good info.
Rating:
Summary: CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT!!
Review: This is, by far, the best child care reference book out there. Even my pediatrician has it on their "Must Own" list. It covers everything, soup to nuts, that you would want to know. Baby sick? Use this book. Question about feeding? Use thi sbook. Question about ANYTHING? Use this book. My husband and I have already broken the binding! I started reading it in the hospital a few hours after my daughter was born and it even helped in the hospital (cleaning the cord, etc. -- you name it, they got it covered!). You can use it as a reference or read it chapter by chapter or by age. It's fantastic. I plan to give this as a gift to every new mom I know.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful reference
Review: My child's pediatrician gave me a copy of this book when we met him to discuss our care options even before my first son was born. It has been a source of valuable information many times over, both during the newborn days and now that my oldest is three. It offers a well-organized index for finding those obscure symptoms and has general information good for each age group. There are special, comprehensive sections for illnesses and other weird things (rashes, conditions and things I've never heard of) and has chapters solely on topics like preparing your firstborn for a sibling, raising a child with a disability, and discipline. My biggest gripe is that as the child gets older they offer less and less advice specific to age (for example they group 3-5 year olds in one section, and my 3 year-old does not behave like a 5 year-old). While I haven't agreed with every last piece of information in the book, when I'm in a pinch for "how-tos" when they are sick, this book has been worth it's weight in gold.
Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive and parent-friendly
Review: I have used this book and the other two books in this series, both in my work as a parenting book author and in my "real life" as a mom of four. The books have received top marks on both fronts. Not only are the books comprehensive: they are also extremely well-organized and easy to read. I have purchased a number of copies of these books over the years for family members and friends and they have all been similarly impressed by the books. Highly recommended.
|
