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: 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: 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: Good information, but somewhat biased...
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: AAP Guide for New Parents
Review: One of the most helpful books I have read since becoming a new parent. It is very descriptive and gives you the opportunity to filter what you feel is pertinent to your parenting skills/development. My pediatrician recommended that we buy it and we are grateful for his suggestion. It has saved me many a headache when I have been worried about my son's health. I just flip to the chapter that discusses what he is experiencing and I find relief/helpful hints. A must-have for all new parents!
Rating:
Summary: The party line, a useful reference
Review: Over the past year I have actually used this book. I have checked symptoms, read up on developmental stages, and looked at advice on solid foods. There is a little information about everything in here and it is a great place to turn first. Since it is from the American Academy of Pediatrics often the advice in this book is the same thing you will hear from your doctor.
Rating:
Summary: This Book is OK, but there are better ones out there . . .
Review: There is a lot of good information in this book. Mothers are encouraged to "room-in" with their babies in the hospital and breastfeed their babies on cue, not on a schedule. The information on how to breastfeed or what to do if you have problems, is sparse, though. They also recommend that you start the weaning process around 8 months of age, which isn't at all necessary or even part of the AAP guidelines. You'll need another breastfeeding book to supplement.
The information on medical issues is pretty good, although, it isn't extensive.
What I really don't like is the one-size-fits-all attitude towards sleep and discipline. The authors of this book are adamantly against rocking and/or nurisng your baby to sleep. They write that if you are doing this, you should stop. Nursing my baby to sleep works well for our family, and I know that there is no medical reason to stop. If it doesn't work for another family, that's fine. But, I shudder to think that a mother may stop doing what works well for her and her baby because these authors have the arrogance to tell her she shouldn't. They also tell you not to rock your child back to sleep if s/he has a nightmare. Personally, I think that's a parent's choice, not something doctors should dictate. But, if you can take this book with a shaker of salt, it does have it's good points.
If you live near a Publix Supermarket, you can get this book free by signing up for their Baby Club. That's how I got mine, and personally I wouldn't spend my money on it. Instead, we bought The Baby Book by Sears and find it to be much more comprehensive and open to different parenting styles.
Rating:
Summary: Great mix of pediatric and parenting information
Review: This book is much more than a medical reference book. It includes a lot of helpful guidance on parenting your child through the first five years of life. This is one of the most used books in my parenting library. Every parent should own a copy.
Rating:
Summary: Helpful Guidance Without Causing Anxiety for Parents
Review: This book is really vague and just gives you brief information on different topics, stages, etc. Don't waste your time buying or reading through this book. Instead, get 'What to Expect the First Year' by Eisenberg, Murkoff, and Hathaway....this book addresses individual concerns/topics and is very informative. As a new mother, 'What to Expect the First Year' has really helped me get through some tough nights.
Rating:
Summary: Thorough and Invaluable Reference for Parents
Review: When my daughter was born I tried to find the follow-up book for "What to Expect When You're Expecting" but could not find it since I was living in Egypt at the time. But, while looking I happened upon this treasure trove of information and decided to buy it. I have been very glad I made that choice. This was especially true when my daughter's first doctor tried to convince me that my daughter wasn't getting enough milk. Because I had read the first chapter carefully, I KNEW that my daughter was eating well and re-gaining weight at a normal rate for a one week old baby. If I had not read this book in advance, I might have been tempted to put my daughter on a bottle. Thank goodness this book was so thorough in explaining the development of young children! This book is JAMMED with vital information and advice about childrens overall development and specific health concerns. Granted, it was a bit unsettling to read all of the descriptions of symptoms of various serious medical conditions - but parenting is a case where what you don't know CAN kill you or your loved one! Of course, no book can replace a living, breathing doctor, but given the book's endorsement by the AAP certainly makes me feel better about relying on it and recommending it to my friends. This book is a must have for your parenting library!
|
