Baby and Child Health: The Essential Guide from Birth to 11 Years

Naomi Brun is a freelance writer and a book reviewer for The Hamilton
Spectator.

A comprehensive medical reference book is a good addition to any
parent’s bookshelf. This one is divided into six main sections—Your
New Baby, Raising a Healthy Child, Diagnosis Charts, Diseases and
Disorders, First Aid, and Resources—and colour codes each one for fast
and effective searching.

Within each section, the writers have attempted to be as holistic and
unbiased as possible in their approach to health. Consequently, all
aspects of a child’s well-being are discussed, including physical,
mental, social, emotional, and developmental. Baby and Child Health
encompasses the wellness of the whole child, rather than simply serving
as a diagnosis book for common ailments, and gives parents tools to help
their children with more than just physical growth.

When a parent does need to use this book as a diagnostic tool, however,
Baby and Child Health could prove quite useful. The book uses many
charts and bulleted information lists so that parents can quickly absorb
the necessary facts. Photos are provided throughout, which could be
especially helpful when making a preliminary diagnosis.

Perhaps the book’s greatest asset, however, is its ability to
reassure without dismissing legitimate concerns. In the diagnostic
sections, it identifies overall symptoms and then asks key questions in
a flow-chart type format to lead parents to a probable conclusion. After
all the questions have been answered, parents should be able to read
whether or not the illness is an emergency, and in either case, be able
to present the findings to the child’s doctor for professional
analysis.

Baby and Child Health is a valuable resource for any parent of young
children.