Customer Reviews

Understanding and Managing Your Child's Food Allergies (A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My 14 month old was just diagnosed with some potentially life-threatening food allergies and I felt like I couldn't easily get the information/support I wanted. This book has helped me become more informed and feed more prepared. He begins by explaining what causes an allergic reaction and then goes on to explain diagnosing allergies, treatment options, recognizing an allergic reaction (and the severity), and also includes a section on the long-term emotional/social implications of food allergies. There is a section that lists various allergens in foods, how likely it is that a child will outgrow them, and how common they are. He includes a ton of real-life case-studies, which not only help to clarify his point, but reminded me that I'm not the only one feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and sad about my child's allergies. While there is no replacement for the allergist who knows your child and their history, this book filled in a lot of blanks in questions I didn't even know I wanted to ask! I will pass this on to family members who are interested in learning more and highly recommend it to others.

We have been managing my child's food allergies for the past 5 years - I have read many, many books on the subject. This one is the absolute best! As much as I understood about food allergies, I still had many questions. This book has helped to clear up most of them. Many of the books on food allergy create a sense of panic, especially when you are new to the situation. The information in this book takes some of the anxiety out of everyday life - our children can have normal, healthy, fun-filled lives!

This is a great resource for Parents and caregivers with children suffering food allergies. I've found most Doctor's, even Allergists, do not take a proactive role in educating the Parent on how to manage such a lifestyle changing issue. I found this book and Dr. Sicherer does an outstanding job putting the processes of food allergies in layman's terms and describes the many steps in working through the issues related to this health concern. Best of luck if your just learning about food allergies, like me, but luckily, many children seem to grow out of some allergies with time - keeping my fingers crossed!!!

My three-year old son has severe food allergies. This book -- written by a world-renowned pediatric allergist -- is one of the best food allergy books I've come across. It provides all the latest statistics and medical background regarding food allergy, and is easy for the lay public to digest, e.g., those of us without medical degrees. Another great book for parents learning to cope with their child's food allergies is: The Parents Guide to Food Allergies -- Clear and Complete Adivce From the Experts on Raising Your Food-Allergic Child. It's written by a parent -- who was a professional writer before discovering her child had food allergies. It's easy-to-read and covers some of the more emotional aspects of raising a child with this very unique and special need.

Dr. Sicherer has written a very helpful, up-to-date, and thorough book about food allergies and children. He and his team at Mt. Sinai are some of the top pediatric allergists working today, which is clear from his book. He does a great job giving an overview of food allergies, as well as some of the emotional consequences of having a child with one. I have read quite a few books on this topic (because of my daughter's food allergies) and this is my favorite. It's not alarmist, but recognizes that food allergies can be serous. It talks about the personal/emotional but doesn't exaggerate scary stories to make a more compelling read. If you have a child or grandchild with food allergies, I'd highly recommend this book.

Ditto everyone else's 5 star reviews. A fantastic book for parents and extended family members of the food allergic child. Sicherer write in a clear and concise manner, explaining all one needs to know. My child has food allergies, including Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES), and I've done a lot of research and am active in an online FA support group. This book explains it all, even stuff I didn't already know. His FPIES section is excellent. I keep this book on out for quick access, as I often use it as a reference.

This is a great book! It's a fabulous reference guide to have if you have a child with food allergies. It addresses case studies of children with multiple food allergies and questions that real parents have! It details out different diagnosis processes, treatments and day to day living. If you are raising a child with food allergies - you must read this book.

As a seasoned mom, but a new one to the food allergy world, this book provides a lot of technical info all in one source. If you want to understand why our bodies react to certain foods and how to proceed, this book is for you.

This book is a great reference guide to understanding food allergies, a must for anyone who knows someone with food allergies, especially parents of Food Allergic Children. Wonderful.

In my opinion, Dr. Sicherer does an excellent job of describing what a food allergy is, what possible reactions are and some steps to take in avoiding life-threatening reactions. One part of this book that is very useful is his large resource of examples of kids and families who have allergies and the experiences that they each go through. Those examples are used to explain a more detailed point. In the end, the result of his examples helps to remember and understand the principle he is teaching.

The perspective that he takes is of a medical doctor. However, he streses the importance of what he calls The Medical History. In this, he explains that the tests and the doctor do not have nearly as much information available as the parents. So, in diagnosis the child, the parents and the history of the child is the most reliable source for information.

I highly recommend this book.