Rating: 
Summary: Excellent!
Review: A book every parent should read. I wish the information contained in this book would become common knowledge. Every word rings true.
Rating: 
Summary: This guy is certifiable!
Review: A book of extremely pessimistic views when it comes to your child, their health and your doctor. After reading some of his "advice", I lost all faith in his expertise and wouldn't allow him to give me advice on how to change the batteries in my alarm clock!
Rating:
Summary: Don't Pass This One By!
Review: All responsible parents and parents-to-be will want to hear the other side of the story when it comes to standard pediatric practices. Dr. Mendelsohn gives a thorough introduction to making INFORMED decisions about your child's health in this consise, down-to-earth manual."How to Raise a Healthy Child" does two very important things. First, it gives parents information about common childhood behavior, illnesses and accidents so that they can treat their child at home when possible and can discern when medical help is necessary. Second, it warns parents about questionable practices and attitudes common in the medical community. It is important for parents to realize, though, that the book is a little dated and that some things have changed for the better (for example, pediatrics does not seem to be as formula-happy as it once was and now favors natural breast feeding). However, some things are as bad as ever or even worse (a respected private hospital near me has close to a 50% C-section rate when research shows that 95% of births are uneventful if allowed to take their natural course). The greatest benefit of this book is that it will give you the frame of mind needed to make safe judgement calls when a doctor tells you you "must" do such-and-such for your child. In the end, you may wish to do further research before making final decisions about things like vaccines, which seems to be a very emotional issue for some. For example, one reviewer here referred to the author as "biased" against vaccines but only refuted the least relevant point made in the book, ingnoring several others; this made me wonder whether the reviewer is biased in favor of vaccines. Parents should read various books and articles, pro and con, before making such choices. (By the way, questions about vaccines are mounting in the vetrinary community as well.) "How to Raise a Healthy Child" ought to be in every parent's library. It can save you heartache and money and can save your child needless (and sometimes dangerous) medical treatment.
Rating:
Summary: READ THIS BOOK!!!
Review: As parents we are our child's best advocate. Noone else will love your child or have their best interests at heart, ever. Why people blindly trust their doctor without question is unreal. They receive much of their training from pharm. companies who are only in one business, to make money. Doctors are now trained to prescribe drugs, not teach us how to be healthy and avoid getting sick. My family only goes to the doctor for the big things, things that can't be treated at home. There is a time and place for doctors but it isn't for every little cough and sniffle. This book is a great resource. It will help you know when to treat symptoms at home and when a doctor is really needed. I have avoided many trips to the doctor by following his advice.
Rating:
Summary: A "Must-Have" Book for Parents
Review: BUY THIS BOOK--it is SO well worth the money! My midwife recommended this book to me and I have referred to it time and again. This book provided professional confirmation of many (but not all; mom was wrong about some stuff!)of the common-sense stuff my mom had passed on to me. The info about fevers and colds is outstanding and will not only put your mind to rest, but save you on needless trips to the doctor or pharmacy. Also, don't let the author's "bias" (according to one reviewer) against vaccination turn you off; he is not the only one raising these questions...
Rating:
Summary: Great medical advice if you hate going to the doctor.
Review: Dr. Mendelsohn is a pediatrician with great qualifications.His advice frees parents from taking their child to thedoctor for every runny nose and fever. Way too many doctors listen to the symptoms and pull out their prescription pad for yet another round of pink liquids. Dr. Mendelsohn gives solid, down-to-earth advice parents can trust! A must read for any parent who doesn't want to feed their kids a regular diet of antibiotics. Also good anti-vaccination information.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book. I give my patients a copy.
Review: I am a chiropractor who believes supremely in natural health. I present each new parent or expecting mother with a complimentary copy of this book. It is a collection of excellent thoughts on healthy children and how to raise children to be healthy. Strongly recommend it to all young adults who have, or are going to have, children.
Rating:
Summary: I swear by this book.
Review: I am neither a doctor or a nurse. However, as a mother of 1 at the time I first read this book (now the mother of 2 and another on the way), I found this book to be an eye-opening resource of great advice from a trusted and experienced source. We live in a world where pharmaceutical companies dictate what our children need rather than parents and this book provides you with solid information that you might not come by without knowing to ask. I got some of the best health care information for my children from this book and would HIGHLY recommend it to all to read.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Book Outdated information
Review: I bought this book because the title grabbed me, and I guess I didn't look into it enough first. But when I took it home to read, I started thinking some things in the book were strange. Like what kind of doctor would really try and talk you out of breast-feeding and into bottle feeding? I was inundated with literature, advice etc. on the benefits of breast-feeding when I had my baby five years ago in the hospital. And since when do even hospitals, not allow you to see your baby after its born. I think even very traditional places, now-a days let you see the baby after its born and let you keep it in your room if you want, with no problem.
Also, I really can't speak for how it is around the country, but I think something has changed with the attitude of doctor's around the country since the prevalance of HMO's. Now I don't see pediatricians pressing too many expensive tests or unneseccary visits. Perhaps this is because doctors are not getting paid in cashlike they were back in the seventies and eighties.
Don't get me wrong, this is a good book, and for anyone who has always completely relied on their pediatrician or physcian without question, this book is an invaluable first step into taking your families' health in hand. I guess I was looking for more specific up-to-date advice, and Dr. Mendelsohn just kind of lectures in an overview fashion.
His most valuable advice was about earaches and the over use of antibiotics. I really tend to think that doctors have cut back a little on the haphazard prescription of antibiotics but, its good for every parent to know its danger.
--Also ear-mark the pages on ingesting poisonous substances, and memorize them as it often difficult to think clearly in those emergency cases.
--Also very important (and I wish we had the latest data on this) p. 40 the dangers of pre-natal Ultra-Sounds.
All-in-all a good read, if it had been more expensive, I would have been really upset. I'm just interested in more up-to-date specific information.
Rating:
Summary: Good Book Outdated information
Review: I bought this book because the title grabbed me, and I guess I didn't look into it enough first. But when I took it home to read, I started thinking some things in the book were strange. Like what kind of doctor would really try and talk you out of breast-feeding and into bottle feeding? I was inundated with literature, advice etc. on the benefits of breast-feeding when I had my baby five years ago in the hospital. And since when do even hospitals, not allow you to see your baby after its born. I think even very traditional places, now-a days let you see the baby after its born and let you keep it in your room if you want, with no problem.
Also, I really can't speak for how it is around the country, but I think something has changed with the attitude of doctor's around the country since the prevalance of HMO's. Now I don't see pediatricians pressing too many expensive tests or unneseccary visits. Perhaps this is because doctors are not getting paid in cashlike they were back in the seventies and eighties.
Don't get me wrong, this is a good book, and for anyone who has always completely relied on their pediatrician or physcian without question, this book is an invaluable first step into taking your families' health in hand. I guess I was looking for more specific up-to-date advice, and Dr. Mendelsohn just kind of lectures in an overview fashion.
His most valuable advice was about earaches and the over use of antibiotics. I really tend to think that doctors have cut back a little on the haphazard prescription of antibiotics but, its good for every parent to know its danger.
--Also ear-mark the pages on ingesting poisonous substances, and memorize them as it often difficult to think clearly in those emergency cases.
--Also very important (and I wish we had the latest data on this) p. 40 the dangers of pre-natal Ultra-Sounds.
All-in-all a good read, if it had been more expensive, I would have been really upset. I'm just interested in more up-to-date specific information.
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