Strategies for Protecting Your Child's Immune System: Tools for Parents and Parents-To-Be [Paperback]

Rodney R. Dietert (Author), Janice Dietert (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Strategies for Protecting Your Child's Immune System is the first book to focus on prevention of environmental damage to the immune system of embryos, babies and older children. It provides expecting and existing parents, their families and physicians with science-based information to protect and proactively manage their child's immune system. Environmental exposures (pollutants, allergens, drugs, diet, physical factors) in the home, school and community can damage the developing immune system and increase the risk of lifelong chronic diseases such as allergies, asthma, type 1 diabetes, celiac disease and neurological problems. This book imparts specific tools to parents and their physicians to help keep the early-life immune system out of harm's way and minimize environmental health risk.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: World Scientific Publishing Company; 1 edition (March 12, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9814287091
• ISBN-13: 978-9814287098
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #315,111 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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  Books > Health, Mind & Body > Disorders & Diseases > Immune Systems

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Big Science; Big Help, May 26, 2010

By	H. M. Salters (Springfield, VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Strategies for Protecting Your Child's Immune System: Tools for Parents and Parents-To-Be (Paperback)

Everybody reads/hears in the media about environmental and chemical toxins and their impact on kids development and immune systems starting from inside the womb, but it's hard to sort out conflicting advice of what and how much to avoid. This book gives parents a detailed but accessible way to look at the science behind the "why" -- from the common (alcohol, cigarette smoke, marijuana and cocaine) to the newly controversial (Bisphenol A, Teflon, hygiene, vaccination schedules and home renovation) factors that affect a child's developing immune system. This book gives parents the information they need to make real decisions on kids' exposure to these factors in the real world and protect them better.

5.0 out of 5 stars A science book that reads like a story, August 25, 2010

By	Ji-Eun Lee - See all my reviews

This review is from: Strategies for Protecting Your Child's Immune System: Tools for Parents and Parents-To-Be (Paperback)

We live in a flood of information on toxic substances and their impact on child development and the immune system. However, it is hard to understand complicated and conflicting scientific results and their implications on children's health. The Dieterts explains principles of toxicology and immunology so easy using interesting stories that anyone should relate the science to real life situations. What a solid but easy read! This book gives parents the information they need to make real decisions on children's exposure to risk factors to protect their developing immune system. I strongly recommend this book for parents and parents-to-be.

5.0 out of 5 stars Not Your Average Self-Help Book, June 23, 2010

By	John Richmond (Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Strategies for Protecting Your Child's Immune System: Tools for Parents and Parents-To-Be (Paperback)

There is a multitude of popular literature aimed at convincing parents of one particular view of how to be a better (?perfect?) parent. In many cases, the authors of such treatises are convinced of ONE way to view children and what is good for them. Their thinking may not be so much radical--in its true sense, i.e., getting at the root of a matter--as in, well, over-the-top.

The Dieterts have written an excellent book about the importance of a child's immune system, from conception to birth and beyond. They are serious about their work and convictions, but they are balanced. Thus: "The first thing to realize is that health risk is virtually never zero and often it is not 100% either." Not, just for instance: "All vaccines are of the devil--never let your child be vaccinated, ever!"

There is such a wealth of information here. Readers will be guided through a series of risk exercises designed to help a parent-to-be think about how riskiness is gauged in relation to various real-life situations. These exercises, in turn, will be related to risks affecting a child's immune system, risks that may be environmental or imposed, or both. Along the way, the Dieterts introduce scientific realities (not "junk science," either, but the real thing) such as dendritic cells, macrophages, and T lymphocytes, all in the service of introducing--among other things--"diseases stemming from prenatal and early life toxic exposures," and recommending environments and other factors that *avoid* toxicity and the immune system.

If this language sounds too overtly, dauntingly scientific, it need not, for the book contains an excellent glossary and appendix. Terms are clearly explained and particular toxic elements and environments are described, along with helpful elements and settings that are optimal for raising healthy children. Diet, physical factors, psychological issues as they relate to the immune system and its functionality or dysfunctionality: all are explored and explained.

There really is too much here to sum up in ten words or fewer (obviously)! However, if the reader is looking for a true science-based approach to proactively guarding a child's immune system, with an eye to reducing the risks of life-long, chronic diseases, allergies, and neurological problems--AND looking for something that can be understood by the non-scientist--then the Dieterts' book represents the precise prescription for the reader's need. In short: highly recommended.