The Bottom Line
Authors William Sears, Martha Sears, Robert Sears, James Sears, and Peter Sears (they are all in the pediatric medical field) have put together a comprehensive, easy to read guide of common, and some not so common, diseases that many children suffer from at some point in their lives. It's a great go-to book in the wee hours of the morning when you are trying to decide if your little one needs medical care.
Pros
- Not just a book of of definitions. It includes tips on symptoms, treatment, and when to worry
- Ailments are easy to look up when you need a quick reference.
- Has a rundown of what happens at well-baby and well-child visits.
- Has a section on foods and exercises that help to keep your child healthy.
Cons
- The pages are thin and flimsy. They probably would not hold up to years of use.
- The tips are excellent, but a bit more cross reference is needed.
Description
- Starts with advice for parents on how to keep their kids healthy. This includes quick tips and longer sections on what food helps each organ or system in your child’s body.
- A complete rundown of pediatrician well-check visits. It ranges from newborn to adolescent. Also includes growth charts and vaccine information
- The bulk of the book is the encyclopedia of diseases.
- The book ends with what should be in your medicine cabinet, when to administer over the counter medication, and how to give the proper dosage to your child.
Guide Review - Guide Review- The Portable Pediatrician
The Portable Pediatrician: Everything You Need to Know About Your Child's Health by William Sears, Martha Sears, Robert Sears, James Sears, and Peter Sears is a book that should be a staple in every medicine cabinet. Not only is it a good reference for common diseases, but the tips are truly useful. It makes for a great consult when you are just not sure if the doctor is what your child really needs. With sections on when to worry and signs of recovery, it gives parents a good indication of whether a doctor visit is necessary. However, it is no substitute for real medical care.
I also love that it describes more than just the run of the mill cold, chicken pox, or pink eye. It also includes what to do for a black eye, nosebleeds, boils, and spider bites. It even covers some behaviors such as bedwetting, head banging, and biting. It doesn't have everything, it would be a humongous book if it did, but it does cover more than just the most common ailments.
That said, the actual material the book is made out of a thin and flimsy paper. I know it may seem a bit picky, but this is a book that will be used throughout childhood. The construction is a little flimsy. There is a reason why textbooks and reference books are made of thick glossy paper. It has to stand up over many, many uses. The pages in this book are about the same quality as a fictional paperback. It tears easily, so it needs to be treated with care.
I also love that it describes more than just the run of the mill cold, chicken pox, or pink eye. It also includes what to do for a black eye, nosebleeds, boils, and spider bites. It even covers some behaviors such as bedwetting, head banging, and biting. It doesn't have everything, it would be a humongous book if it did, but it does cover more than just the most common ailments.
That said, the actual material the book is made out of a thin and flimsy paper. I know it may seem a bit picky, but this is a book that will be used throughout childhood. The construction is a little flimsy. There is a reason why textbooks and reference books are made of thick glossy paper. It has to stand up over many, many uses. The pages in this book are about the same quality as a fictional paperback. It tears easily, so it needs to be treated with care.
