Take a Deep Breath: Clear the Air for the Health of Your Child [Paperback]

Nina L. Shapiro (Author)

Book Description

Release date: December 16, 2011 | ISBN-10: 981435497X | ISBN-13: 978-9814354974 | Edition: 1

Take a Deep Breath is a comprehensive, accessible, and indispensible guide for parents, caregivers, teachers, pediatricians, and other healthcare providers on the subject of children s breathing issues. The book provides a thorough review of breathing issues, differentiating the normal and abnormal for all ages, and at all levels of breathing passages. Take a Deep Breath explains all of the puzzling and oftentimes distressing breathing patterns our children have throughout development.

From the uppermost part of the breathing apparatus, the nose, to the lowermost part, the lungs, this book explains which problems are truly worrisome, and which are actually normal stages in a child s growth. Take a Deep Breath will enable the reader to do just that, take a deep breath, and get a better, clearer understanding about what s going on when your children breathe in and out. While pediatricians and other healthcare providers have expertise in all aspects of childhood illness, this book sheds new light on the latest research in pediatric breathing issues, sleep issues, and airway safety. Consisting of age-based sections, with location-based and problem-based chapters for each age group, each chapter also provides a 'to-do' list, offering successful preventions and treatments that can easily be done at home.

About 80 to 90% of children, at one time or another, have breathing problems. Take a Deep Breath will be a welcome, indispensible tool in all households with children. Day care providers, grandparents, babysitters and nannies, and parents clubs will all benefit from this book immensely.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Take a Deep Breath is a breath of fresh air for every parent and doctor who cares about children. Dr Nina Shapiro cuts through what we need to know, and reassuringly tells us what we dont need to worry about. A must read for every parent and grandparent."
-- Nancy Snyderman, NBC News Chief Medical Editor

"Take a Deep Breath is the ultimate go-to guide for breathing issues in childhood. Written in a clear, easy-to-read Q and A style, and divided by common issues in each age group, Dr Nina Shapiro teaches parents what they need to know, when to worry and when to relax about common health issues choking prevention and asthma, and what to do when your toddler sticks a toy up his nose!"
-- Ari Brown, Author of the 'Baby 411' book series

"Take a Deep Breath is a must read for any parent or caregiver who has ever questioned or considered a child's breathing. From the top of the nose to the bottom of the lungs, Dr Nina Shapiro, simply and practically explains when you should worry, when you can relax and what you need to know to ensure that everyone in your house breathes easier today, tonight and for the rest of their life." --Tanya Remer Altmann, Author of 'Mommy Calls: Dr Tanya Answers Parents Top 101 Questions About Babies and Toddlers (AAP)'

"As a pediatrician, I am inundated with questions and concerns about a child's breathing. As a father, there is nothing more important than making sure my girls are healthy. Take a Deep Breath helps to answer every parent's questions about their child's breathing, and much more. New parents are often overloaded with information, but Dr Shapiro succeeds in writing a book that is straightforward and easy to read, allowing the reader to get the big picture and understand what to worry about, and more importantly, what not to worry about. Take a Deep Breath will undoubtedly set your mind at ease and help everyone breathe a little easier." --Scott W Cohen, Author of 'Eat, Sleep, Poop: A Common Sense Guide to Your Baby's First Year'

"Take A Deep Breath will keep parents from hyperventilating! It is the perfect handbook of breathing written by an impeccable surgeon who is, first and foremost, a mom. If this book were required for every new parent, it would save pediatricians a lot of time and parents a lot of heartache." --Cara Natterson, Author of 'Worry Proof: A Pediatrician (and Mom) Explains Which Foods, Medicines, and Chemicals to Avoid to Have Safe and Healthy Children'

About the Author

Dr. Nina Shapiro is the Director of Pediatric Ear, Nose, and Throat at the Mattel Children s Hospital UCLA, and Associate Professor of Surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She has treated tens of thousands of children with breathing problems, from nose to lungs. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 260 pages
• Publisher: World Scientific Publishing Company; 1 edition (December 16, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 981435497X
• ISBN-13: 978-9814354974
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 0.7 x 8.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #670,473 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Nina Shapiro, a graduate of Harvard Medical School, is the Director of Pediatric Ear, Nose, and Throat at the Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, and Associate Professor of Surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She has treated tens of thousands of children with breathing problems. "Take a Deep Breath: Clear the Air for the Health of Your Child" will answer all of the puzzling questions both new and seasoned parents and caregivers have regarding a child's normal and 'not-so-normal' breathing issues.
Dr. Shapiro is a sought-after expert in the media, and is a regular guest on CBS' "The Doctors". She has also appeared on "Extra TV LifeChangers", CNN.com, NBC News, and NPR.
She is the editor of the "Handbook of Pediatric Otolaryngology: A Practical Guide for the Evaluation and Management of Ear, Nose, and Throat Disorders in Children".
She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children.

http://www.drninashapiro.com

@drninashapiro

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A parents go-to guide for breathing problems of all varieties. February 18, 2012

By Danielle M. Smith VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Parents often find themselves with many more questions than they originally anticipated prior to a child's birth. There are most likely very few parents who anticipated an infant with pneumonia and fewer were probably curious about whether their child at age one would snore as loud as their grandfather. Some of these situations are obviously much more severe than others, but determining when to take action and when to wait it out can sometimes be the most difficult question. A parent's number one source of information and advice is always their child's pediatrician, but who couldn't use a "go-to" manual? Take a Deep Breath: Clear the Air for the Health of Your Child by Nina L. Shapiro, MD is the premier guide book for parents looking to "clear the air" for their little one as well as themselves.

Initially I agreed to review Take a Deep Breath: Clear the Air for the Health of Your Child by Nina L. Shapiro because of our own family's struggle with breathing problems with my son. What I didn't expect was how wonderful a resource it would turn out to be. There were many points that Dr. Shapiro explains that we encountered during my son's infancy that we never considered simply because we felt he wasn't in any urgent distress. That's not to say we simply let him suffer through most of his first year, but had we known that using Afrin coupled with Saline drops could have relieved his allergy symptoms we would have jumped to use it. This isn't the only point, but now that he's older and suffers with severe allergy problems we will now be seeking out specific allergy testing that I wasn't aware was available until now. It also became clear to me that this would make an excellent gift to the parents of the new nephews we're welcoming into our family.

One of the aspects of Take a Deep Breath that enjoyed the most was the wrap up at the end of each chapter. Dr. Shapiro breaks it down into summaries titled: "The Big Picture", "Don't Worry", "Worry" and a "To-Do List". These are so unbelievably helpful because, as it is with our own pediatrician, it can sometimes be difficult to get an appointment. There have been times I've "pushed" my way into an appointment only to discover that my daughter merely had a virus and ended up being better a day later. That's not to say the book will resolve all of a parents concerns and you'll never need to see a pediatrician again, but as a parent sometimes you just need a little bit of reassurance from an intelligent and reliable source to give you the peace of mind for the "waiting period".

Also, I shouldn't fail to mention Nina's humor. Sometimes in medically based books it starts to read like a text book. For me personally, I don't feel the need to take a walk down college year's memory lane. Reading the sections in Take a Deep Breath were truly refreshing. Nina is not only a doctor with all the skills and education that comes with that title, but she's a human being with a wonderful sense of humor. She's obviously seen it all in her many years of practice and can find the humor in a two year old shoving a pea up her nose because it seems just like another "pocket" to put things in. I couldn't help cracking up through this section because I've been there. My daughter has been found numerous times with little balls of cereal in each nostril. It simply doesn't matter how watchful we are or how many times we've told her not to do it, she still loves sticking things in those tiny convenient holes. What was great though was to know the main danger rests in what she puts up there and never to joke around if she manages to stick a battery up there.

Respiratory and breathing issues in children is something most parents can't avoid, but luckily Take a Deep Breath: Clear the Air for the Health of Your Child by Nina L. Shapiro, MD is the perfect go-to manual for parents looking for answers and reassurance. This is definitely a book I'd recommend to new parents as well as potential grandparents who may be spending any amount of time with young children. Nina Shapiro covers an extensive list of symptoms and issues, including CPR techniques, that sometimes may go overlooked and could easily provide not only your child with relief but yourself as well. Though our children are now almost ages three and five I still found a great deal of comfort as well as potential solutions to some of their respiratory issues that I'll be seeking out in the near future with our own pediatrician. Take a Deep Breath: Clear the Air for the Health of Your Child by Nina L. Shapiro, MD is by no means a replacement for your child's pediatrician but in a parent's life when sometimes you need to seek out answers and find comfort on your own this is the go-to book for child respiratory issues!

Originally reviewed and copyrighted at my site There's A Book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for all parents!!!!! February 13, 2012

By Rachel Brown

Format:Paperback

I absolutley LOVE this book!!!! So informative, yet easy to read & understand! I loved it so much that I have started giving the book as baby shower gifts. This book is perfect for all us mothers who hover over our children's cribs all night just to be sure they're still breathing and for those of us who obsess over every "strange" cough and wheeze. All new parents will need this book, and even us old ones can learn something new! :)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Like Having a Doctor on Call January 27, 2012

By Amy Sommer

Format:Paperback

Dr. Nina Shapiro is Director, Pediatric Otolaryngology and an Associate Professor UCLA School of Medicine. After writing lots of articles she decided to do a book. Lucky enough for parents, it reads as if you're sitting down and having a conversation with a highly trained and well regarded pediatric ear, nose and throat surgeon.

"Take a Deep Breath" is an A to Z guide on children's breathing issues. It includes every airway what it should do when normal, what's abnormal but nothing too bad and what to freak out about. Categorized by age, each section also offers up a list of what caregivers can do to prevent some of the most common problems and treatments that can be administered at home to ease the problems that occur. About 80% to 90% of kids will experience some airway angst during their childhood so this is a worthwhile read.

One of my kids has asthma, the other one occasionally snores; Take a Deep Breath is a very handy guide -- well worn already -- which calms my nerves and tells me what to be on high alert about. A worthwhile buy for any parent, regardless of your tyke's state of health.