Customer Reviews

How to Raise a Healthy Child: In Spite of Your Doctor

5 star:		(80)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I love this book. It is the first book that I ever read on alternative views to children's health and it left me wanting to read even more on the subject. I am an R.N. and know that we parents should not just blindly put our trust in our pediatricians. We need to read to educate ourselves and take an active part in our children's health--that is what Dr. Mendelsohn tries to tell us. We take our children to the doctor and give them all sorts of medicines for every little thing when we can handle lots of stuff ourselves at home--safely. Fevers in themselves are not to be feared, they are a normal part of illness in children (NOT INFANTS). He said this years ago and now I am even starting to read it in the mainstream press. If you like everything neat and normal, don't buy this book. If you like a book that lays all the cards on the table, dares to be different and makes you think, YES buy this book. Because of this book, I have found a doctor who allows me to be part of my children's healthcare not just tells me what to do and expects me to blindly follow it. Dr. Mendelsohn was a respected physician up until his death and dared to be different before alternative medicine was cool.

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.

This book will teach you the signs to look for in an illness, when to call the Dr. and when to let the illness run it's course. The author, a pediatrician for almost 30 years has a drug free approach and believes the body has the ability to heal itself in most cases. He teaches parents the influence DRUG COMPANIES have over most pediatric practices and how to avoid Drs. who tend to over-prescribe. His advice on immunizations, asthma, earaches, allergies and breastfeeding is fabulous. This book has helped my family enormously. I've given this book as a gift and have been thanked many times over for it. It's a must have for any new parent, parent or grandparent. EXCELLENT.

This book is full of wonderful advice. I first got it almost three years ago when my son was an infant. I loaned it to a friend and never got it back..

As a child, I had all kinds of childhood illnesses, and my mother would take me to the doctor for every little thing. I had a LOT of ear infections, and they always gave me antibiotics, which actually made me more prone to getting sick and having even MORE ear infections. I'm glad I read this book, because it basically tells you that you don't always need all the antibiotics, vaccinations and various medications to treat everything. He lists the side effects and complications that can and do happen from blindly listening to your doctor. When my son has a fever, flu, or cold, I don't even think about going to the doctor, and he's been one of the healthiest kids I know. I also don't get him vaccinated, as the pediatrition bullied me into it when he was four months old, and my son got very sick as a result. He said these were "normal reactions", but I think if vaccinations and medications cause a baby to convulse, have a high fever, and vomit, then we need to rethink these vaccinations and medications! My dad, who is now 61, never had an immunization as a child. He had measles, mumps, whooping cough, and just about every other child-hood illness you can imagine. He, and millions of other people, survived just fine, but a lot of doctors will want to scare you anyway.

There are some people who are very angry at this book because it tells you to think for yourself. It tells you the truth about these important issues, and a lot of people would rather blindly believe the government and their doctors, who by the way recieve government and pharmacutical funding to push these drugs. This is a very informative read, and should be read by anyone who prefers to trust their instincts, think for themselves, and make their own decisions!

This physician gives you the truths hidden by a medical profession more interested in profit than real health. Homebirthing is truthfully depicted as safer than hospital birth with its constant interventions into what should be a natural process, and the REAL RISKS of "preventive" medicine such as vaccinations. Those of us who were injured by "just in case" medical procedures and parents of child victims finally have the documentation from a real doctor to back up our convictions. Every new parent should read this book.

There are two important things to keep in mind when reading this book: Number one, that some of the information, particularly about vaccinations, is very out-of-date. And number two, this is a good addition to a thinking parent's library, but other research should be done by the parent to get a full picture of how they can best care for their child. Don't rely solely on the information in this book to make decisions, but use it as a supplement to the other sources of info out there.

Dr. Mendelsohn brings up many good points that parents are often not aware of. The most significant message this book has to offer is that YOU, not your doctor, are the best advocate for your health and the health of your family. In other words, don't simply take your doctor's advice about a diagnosis or a treatment without doing your own homework. In this day and age, it's very easy to learn more on the Internet (just be sure to research reputable health sites). And don't be afraid to ask your doctor questions or get a second opinion. Doctors are human, they make mistakes, and they don't know everything.

It's true that many childhood illnesses are easily treated at home. As the adult-child of a doctor, I had many of the illnesses mentioned in the book when I was growing up and the vast majority of them were treated by my parents with simple cures -- bed rest, clear fluids, a humidifier, and Tylenol for pain. It's not necessary to get antibiotics, steroids, or heavy-duty painkillers for most of the illnesses children catch. Nor should many of the childhood illnesses be as feared as they are today. When I was growing up, the flu and chicken pox were a regular part of life -- you stayed in bed for a few days, felt kinda lousy, but got over it quickly and went outside to play.

It's important to consider that while you read this book, use what you think will work for your family and discard what you think won't work. I don't know that I'd use whiskey as a painkiller for my child, but I also realize that many over-the-counter cold and flu remedies have high alcohol content (higher than a bottle of booze in some cases!) yet are still considered to be ineffective based on studies. A few drops of whiskey may not be any more or less harmful than OTC cold and flu remedies.

I'd recommend that anyone who reads this book *skip* the chapter on vaccinations, not because of any opinion I have about vaccinations, but because the info is so out-of-date. Read "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations" by Stephanie Cave if you want to know more. If you want the very latest info on vaccinations, look up vaccine ingredients on drug manufacturers' sites, the recommended vaccine schedule on the CDC's site, and the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases on the CDC's site. Those are all pro-vaccination sites, but they will give you most of the info you need to know whether you're pro- or anti-vaccination.

I'm a medical student who will soon be a pediatrician. This book should be absolutely required reading for any future (and current, for that matter!) pediatrician, not to mention new or soon-to-be parents. Dr. Mendelsohn's book is a wonderful reminder of the power of natural healing, as well as a great source of advice and comfort for parents. I'll be giving every new parent in my practice a free copy of this book!

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.

Every parent should have this book on their shelf. After my daughter was wrongly diagnosed with an ear infection (we were made to wait 45 minutes in the doctor's office and she was screaming because it was her nap time. Hence red ears) and given medicine for the "pain" when she was 6 months old, we stopped taking her to the Well Baby visits that always seemed so pointless anyway. Dr. M. mentions that ear infections are one of the most commonly misdiagnosed illnesses in America and that in Europe they are not treated with antibiotics anyway. His advice is sane and detailed and his book has often come to my rescue when I was not sure what to do. While you might take issue with some of the content, at least Dr. M provides you with an alternate opinion. Bottom line: Don't listen to what doctors say just because they are doctors and they say it.

This book explodes many of the medical myths that get passed on from doctors to parents (it also explodes the myth of doctor as all-knowing and all-powerful). It also is a source of support for parents who want to avoid constant trips to the pediatrician. Dr. Mendelsohn advocates homebirth, extended breastfeeding and questions many of the standard vaccination practices. A real voice in the wilderness concerning current medical practices!