Book Review: The Portable Pediatrician by Drs. William, Robert, Peter and James Sears, Martha Sears, RN
Among the scores of topics covered: teething; sprains and broken bones; nosebleeds; measles; ear infections; choking; rashes; colic; headaches; eating disorders; fever; hip pain; warts; allergies; obesity; seizures; Asperger's Syndrome; bronchitis; masturbation; sunburns; pneumonia; speech delay; lice; vomiting; asthma; heart defects; blisters; sleep problems; and more.
The Searses guide parents and caregivers from a child's infancy through the teen years, teaching them what to expect at regular checkups as well as how to boost a child's well-being, devise a family health plan, work effectively with their pediatrician, and more. Distinguished by the Searses' trademark comprehensiveness, reliability, and accessible, comforting one, this book is a must-have for all families who want to keep their children healthy and happy.
About the Authors: William Sears, MD, and Martha Sears, RN, are the pediatric experts on whom American parents increasingly rely for advice and information on all aspects of pregnancy, birth, childcare, and family nutrition. Dr. Sears has practiced pediatrics for more than 40 years, and is an associate clinical professor at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine. Martha Sears is a registered nurse and parenting and health consultant. Robert W. Sears, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician in private practice in southern California. James Sears, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician and co-host of The Doctors. Peter Sears, MD, is a board-certified physician specializing in family practice in Nashville, TN.
Review: Alot of people wither love Dr Sears (the elder) and his sons, or they don't. You can put me firmly in the LOVE their advice! Dr. Sears was the only place we could find info on "high needs babies" that described kiddo to a T at 5 weeks old. It wasn't colic, it wasn't fussiness, it wasn't spoiled. Dr. Sears went thru with his son (one of the co-authors) and his description and how to handle her eased our household tremendously. We weren't alone, there was a reason and now we could understand her temperament better. So I came to stand by his advice, as it always worked for us.
We have some of the Sears' book at home, and have reviewed others here on this blog, but Kiddo was 'growing out' of those books. We needed a book for older children, not one that stopped at school age. This book came to the rescue! This book WILL take you from infancy to adulthood however. It is THE definitive baby shower present!
The book has preliminary chapters on different ages and growth and development and most importantly what to ask, look for, expect at doctors appointments at different ages (great for first time mothers!). The rest of the book is broken down into a mini-encyclopedia of the common ailments of kids. Each ailment has symptoms, causes, possible similar ailments, home treatments, when to take your child to the doctor, and what type of meds may be prescribed, and any follow up treatment. At 3am, it's helpful to cross reference and see what you might be dealing with and how to treat before seeing a doctor!
With Kiddos recent illness, the book directed me to taking her BACK to the doctor and requesting bloodwork and chest xrays to check for pneumonia, whooping cough and/or reactive asthma from bronchitis infection, and seeing if a sterois prescription was necessary. All things the doctor had NOT thought she had on the first visit. Yup- she has RAD-when she gets respiratory infections, she gets asthma like blockages and has problems breathing. Walaa. Dr Sears was right again! Four days with the steroids and she's back in school!
This is THE book to have if you have kids! It will save you alot of time and worry!
Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this book, free of charge, from Hachette Publishing, for blog review only! No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it.
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