Pediatrics Books

This is the book you should read FIRST when your child or loved one is diagnosed. While other resources go in depth on different specifics, the whys and hows and what to do this book gives it to you straight without a lot of jargon and can point you in the directions you need to go next. We purchased this book when our oldest child was diagnosed and have since lent it out to numerous other families in need. We are now purchasing a second copy (we do not remember location of initial copy as it's lent out) as we feel our middle child is also Asperger's and is in the process of testing.

This is soooo readable. You could probably read it in one or two days. It captured my attention from the start of the book. I feel like it is empowering me to see my son in a different light and learn how to help him become the best person he can be.

I was so impressed after reading this book, I am still in awe. It is absolutely excellent. When I saw the title, I knew it would be a book I'd likely be interested in as autism is a subject which is very near and dear to me. However, this has far exceeded any hopes I had. If anybody remotely has any interest in autism, this is an absolutely must read. I have been to many workshops and conferences on autism, and this has touched base with somethings I've noticed about from what I have seen at some of these workshops as well as some events I have attended geared to those with autism as well as family members, however, before this, nothing I have read has really touched base on the subject.

This has so totally exceeded any hopes I had, even after seeing the title.

I had originally purchased 3 books, one for myself and two for friends I knew would be extremely interested. However, after reading this, I will be purchasing three more books. These will also be for friends very dear to me who also have an interest in autism and who also have attend whatever workshops and conferences that have been available to them as well and who have noticed also what I have and what this book discusses.

Mr. Stillman I truly owe you such deep gratitude for what you have compiled. This is what some friends and I have just talked and theorized about. Thanks so much, we owe you such gratitude.

After my 11 yr old was diagnosed with Asperger's our doctor loaned me her copy of this book. By chapter two I had ordered my own copy.
Clear examples, straight forward language, no mumbo-jumbo. But enough love, understanding and humor to allow any one to appreciate how special our Aspie family members really are.

This is a must read book if your child has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. I found it very informative and helpful. The author not only understands how AS kids think he gives wonderful advice about how to deal with just about any problem that they might face from childhood through college.

I have read just about every book I can get my hands on since my son was diagnosed and this is one of the better ones. I would highly recommend this book to parents and teachers of children with AS. I will be giving a copy of this book to every teacher my son has!

A celebrated scholar and teacher, Sid Homan turns his storytelling talents to a fascinating collection of brief memoirs from his childhood in South Philadelphia. This compilation originates from tales told by the author to children in a cancer ward, and in reading this volume we can easily imagine these children entranced by Homan's folksy, conversational style, strong wit, and passion for the people and memories of his youth. These tales range from the poignant to the hilarious, and every stage in between. I anxiously await the next volume!

Highly recommended for all readers, both for the lessons they teach and the smiles that will inevitably follow.

Craftfully written, surprising, and poignant, A Fish in the Moonlight is one of those rare books that is so warm-hearted, so humane, so insightful that it touches the reader in a way that leaves a mark forever. Homan clearly demonstrates the power of stories to heal us all.

Sid Homan's memoir of stories told in the pediatric bone marrow unit is both personal and global. The short narratives that he shared with child patients at Shand's hospital is a window into a by-gone era - through the use of details such as family members gathering around a radio for evening entertainment, or the erasure of racial lines during the creation of coleslaw in an Italian resturant - and into a young man's soul as he comes out of childhood into adolescence and then adulthood.

The stories in the second half of the book - "Bootiful", "I Envied Harry", and the title story "Fish in the Moonlight" are forays into the worrisome ways of adults and the exciting new moments of independence. Characters such as Leslie Doober, the quitensential 'mama's boy' mix humor and the complexity of the elementary school classroom.

These are stories made more vivid by the knowledge that the listeners were those vicariously experiencing the world from inside a hospital via the storyteller's memory.

A great volume for those dealing with pain, treatment, or an abudance of time on their hands. A reminder that we all need to reach outside of ourselves and to others. In so doing lessen our own isolation.

With all the complications that life brings it is so refreshing to come across a work that is so simple in it's execution yet so profound in its meaning. Sid Homan's slice of life Americana sifts through the politics, the relationships, the social mores, the family dynamics, the secrets and gently nudges the soul. A touching story of one man's journey through childhood that reaches across decades to connect in a real way with children in a cancer ward who may never otherwise enjoy a childhood so rich in adventure, laughter and mischief. The beauty being that as the stories grow so do the children, the author and in a magical way the reader.

I found Mr. Homan's tales and anecdotes about his childhood, at a minimum, engrossing; most were enchanting. The book could stand as excellent on these tales alone. But the telling of the tales in a hospital ward of children, most of them surely to die of cancer, gives a depth, an extra dimension, of aching poignancy to the life-affirming tales.
Conrad Planas 7 July 2008

My 25 yo daughter was diagnosed was Type 1 diabetes in April of this year. I read everything I could find on the subject. This book by far was the most helpful and encouraging. It helped me realize my daughter can handle this new challenge and live a full, active life.

This book is easy to read. A newly diagnosed parent or child may enjoy this text because of it's simplicity.

As an avid reader of Books on Diabetes, I found it difficult to follow. The writers seemed disoriented and got off track often.

I gave a copy of Getting a Grip to a twelve year old neighbor boy...he read the book with his mom...they said Getting a Grip gave them a sense of well-being and that it answered so many of their questions. They especially liked the chapters on sports, and academics and out door school!
RC

We received this book as a gift when our son was diagnosed with Type I diabetes. The whole family read the book and found it positive and very helpful. The book is filled with real life experiences and dozens of helpful tips. You just feel like you can do it when you read Getting a Grip on Diabetes.

If there are only two books you buy for diabetes type 1 management this is one of the two (the other being "Real Life Parenting of Kids with Diabetes)" written by Spike and Bo's mother (Virgina Nasmyth Loy).
I really enjoyed reading about diabetes from the viewpoint of the person with the disease. Spike and Bo provide practical suggestions on how to integrate diabetes management in a variety of settings: school, surfing, eating out, traving the globe, driving, etc.

This book was used in our pediatric ER for years before we got a computer discharge program. It gives good information to families going home with sick children.

This is an invaluable resource for giving parents information and advice on various childhood medical questions. I highly recommend it!

I bought it as an intern to help with my verbal instructions to parent's. Great for "mommy call" or phone call advice too.

Excellent book, used by many professionals. Anxiously awaiting an update. I am not an RN calling the book "Good overall" but giving it one star. Give me a break.

Good overall content but not up to date. Does not pick up subtle conditions. Somewhat cumbersome to use.

WM Johnson, RN, MSN

Great book for reference, and brushing up on calculations, easy to carry in pocket. Use it for my nursing students. Really helps them during clinicals,,everyone needs a little reassurance book.

This book was easy to understand and contained clear practice problems. During my first semester of nursing school('07), the book helped to understand the different conversions, and I able to pass the drug calculation test. It also offers a laminated conversion sheet that was helpful during class and study sessions. It has three different units. The first unit contains basic math review, which can help any student to review important math problems that is basis for understanding drug calculations. The second unit goes into the different measurement systems, which is important for understanding drug administration. The third unit is the most important part of the book, which goes into drug calculations for oral, parenteral, IV, critical-care, solutions, and pediatic care. It is thorough book, and gives detailed instructions on how to solve a specific problem. It offers end of chapter reviews, and answer section to evaluate your work.

Every page of this book was in perfect condition.

Very, very pleased with the book! It was practically new!

As a new nursing student I have found this book very useful. There is a very comprehensive introduction which allows the student to relearn some of the math skills that may have been lost over the year. I also really like the fact that the book comes with a removable laminated card with conversions on it. I'm sure that this will come in quite handy when I begin my clinicals.
My only real complaint is that I have found a couple of mistakes in the fifth edition. I found at least two mistake in the answers provided for the chapter review on apothecaries' measurements. I would recommend that the publisher check their material a little better so as to prevent confusion for students.

1.32 - 16.84 (1.32 minus 16.84) is a negative number (-15.52)! Not +15.52! (See page 47). When you subtract a larger number from a smaller number, the result is ALWAYS negative number. This book makes this same mistake over and over! See pages 29,30,31,32, 34, and I'll bet there is more! Nurses watch out! Do not use bad math! How did the publisher release this book with out reviewing the math?

Syndicated columnist and Pediatric hospital chaplain Norris Burkes draws the reader into the presence of the Lord in the hospital setting in his book "No Small Miracles." From the first page of the introduction I became engrossed in the sense of urgency of the Intensive Care Unit and the imminent crisis in Emergency Room.

Burkes is a gifted story teller and has compiled a gripping selection of personal experiences from his ministry as a hospital chaplain. He captures the painful struggle of a parent of finding God in the ER, the ICU and the pediatric, or cancer ward. Each story has a spiritual application, is personal and heart felt. The stories often reflect doubts, unbelief and anger directed at God. Many family members move on to release a loved one. They submit to an acceptance of God's best, and are inwardly healed as they receive His bountiful mercies and the gift of His grace.

I particularly appreciated Burke's simple honesty as he shared of his personal involvement with the patient, their families, and the hospital staff.

As a parent himself, Norris shows sensitivity to the unique differences of a family's needs and responses in times of crisis. I enjoyed his candid approach as he exposed his vulnerability and his human frailties in the chapter "Miracles on the Home Front." I also identified with the experiences related in the chapter "Miracles in Uniform."

Long after closing the cover of the book I will remember, with tear filled eyes, the poignant drama of these "kids of courage" and "parents in pain." I will join the parents in their unwavering love, in their joy and sorrow as miracles of healing take place, some physical, some miracles of change, as they accept the need for release of a loved one, and of surrender to a loving God.

"No Small Miracles" is heartwarming, soul searching, and entertaining.

This is a great book that will sadden your heart yet give you hope for the future. I can't imagine the daily interaction with children in a hospital that turn us to be funny and sad within minutes of each occurence. I hope Chaplain Norris continues to write and may there be less children in pediatrics because there is no need.

I came across this book because one of the stories involves a friend of mine. When I saw the Biblical quotes in the first few stories I was afraid I wouldn't be able to relate to the book (being that I'm not religious at all.)
But I found the author's view about life and religion to be very refreshing... honest and down-to-earth, and importantly he has a sense of humor about it. The book really gave me a lot to think about and fresh perspective on many things.
The stories about the sick kids can be hard to read... have a box of tissue ready. But the writing around them frame them in a wonderful way.

When you buy this book, please email me at norris@chaplainnorris.com and let me know what you think. I'm also willing to autograph it for you if you want to send it to me.

Blessings

Chaplain Norris

"Prayer has the power to heal even when it doesn't cure," says Chaplain Norris Burkes in his new book, No Small Miracles: Heartwarming, Humorous & Hopefilled Stories from a Pediatric Chaplain. The tender and true stories that fill the pages provide evidence of this truth and challenge readers to redefine our concept of miracles so we might be alert to discover them in our own lives. The stories show God's divine presence and miraculous healing, even when He chooses not to cure.

No Small Miracles is broken into five parts which include stories from the pediatric unit and other hospital departments, Chaplain Norris' military service and family life. The stories are creatively written in the comfortable style and familiar voice of an award-winning columnist.

Chaplain Norris' writing is heart-tugging and sensitively spiritual yet it reflects joy, hope and even humor in the midst of the life-and-death experiences he faces daily in his roles as both a hospital and military chaplain. No Small Miracles is a welcome message to the heart of anyone who has ever asked, "Where was God..."

I anxiously await the next book.

This is a terrific reference, especially for new moms, or even not so new moms. I still find myself referring to it occasionally and my kids are 4 and 7.

The book is well-organized. I can find conditions and symptoms quickly and easily. The basic format is listed below:
-Definition: a brief background of the condition is described.
-What to Do: advice for how to handle the immediate situation at home, how to evaluate the situation, what to look for.
-When to Call Your Doctor: describes under what circumstances the doctor should be contacted and whether it should be immediately or in the near future
-Home Care Tips: tips about what can be done at home.
-Additional Information: extra information that isn't included in the other sections.

Readers who buy this book expecting to help diagnose conditions or find cures will be disappointed. It is a book to help moms decide on the seriousness of a condition, find if anything can be done at home, or if the doctor should be called and how soon that must be done. It does that job very well.

This book is very basic. It has a basic explanation of conditions, but does not go in depth on any particular condition. It will explain a what a rash is, but if you want to know why or how to cure a rash on your baby's face that has a particular look or pattern, this is definitely not the book for you.

I highly recommend this book for everyone with children. In my nine years as a parent I've read a lot of books on childrearing - four complete books on sleeping alone and numerous others on different aspects of discipline and development - and this book is one of the most informative, easy to read, and helpful that I've seen yet. My personal favorite chapter covers behavior and development. This chapter pulls everything together from toilet training to discipline. The book is also extremely informative on symptoms and illnesses, home care tips for children and medications. I now have new tips for coughs, a problem I have been dealing with since my four-year-old son was an infant. The down-to-earth information on medication means I won't be overwhelmed when I go into a drugstore to buy over the counter remedies. I have already referred to this book dozens of times, even though I've only had it for two weeks. This book is so useful that I'm ordering extra copies as baby gifts for all my friends with newborns.

Parents receive practical advice on how to handle common childhood symptoms, injuries and illnesses with the aid of a guide which covers everything from baby checkups and medications to developmental and behavioral issues. Packed with practical advice, Quick Reference Guide To Your Child's Health is organized in a form lending to quick and easy consultation.

This book is well-organized, easy-to-read and very thorough. Any questions you may have about childhood illness or injury are listed alphabetically with helpful descriptions and specific advice on home treatment, as well as when you should call your doctor. It includes a great section on symptoms for when you aren't exactly sure what illness your child has, plus dosing information for over-the-counter drugs. The best part is that it is written by two women with extensive medical experience (a pediatrician and a pediatric nurse) who also happen to be moms! This book would make a great gift for new parents or anyone spending time with young children!

Bits and pieces were helpful where others were not. Not as helpful as we had hoped. There were some chapters in the book where helpful information could be obtained while others were not. That is common in many books so overall am not sorry for the purchase and would think that it could be useful to others out there.

My 2 1/2 year old son was recently diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder, NOS, so I wanted to get a book that would help me explain it to friends & relatives. I read this book in an hour or so. It is laid out very nicely and full of really good information that explains PDD thoroughly. The book is very interesting and there are lots of examples to help you understand how each child with PDD or Autism is different from one another.

When I have told people that PDD is a form of autism--most people respond by saying "well he doesn't do such and such, etc. so how could it be autism?" This book is very helpful in explaining the subtle differences that a child can have in each of the following areas: communication, social interaction, repetitive behavior. Now that I understand PDD better, I can explain it to others. I highly recommend this book! It isn't your average cheap book, but it is worth the price.

Excellent book!!! I read this book in one night! It was so easy to read and understand pervasive developmental disorder. I would recommend this book to those who have a loved one recently diagnosed. The autism spectrum is wide. It gave great detail on both ends of the spectrum. Lots of information. Had a hard time putting this book down. If you need a book about PDD, this is the one to get first.

As the parent of a child recently diagnosed with PDD-NOS, this book is fantastic and explains a lot in terms for the everyday person. It's also great for educators and people that are do not have very much experience working with chilren within this spectrum. Our son is also very lucky to be a patient of one of the Doctor's that is in Dr. Malone's practice and he will meet Barbara Quinn this fall.

This book explains PDD-NOS and the other autism spectrum disorders in clear, concise language. I recommend it to anyone going down this road, particularly PDD-NOS parents or those whose toddlers aren't hitting their dev. milestones.

As you can see, I enjoy the topic of Autism. This approach has more useful ideas that should be considred when working with children with Autism. Although, this is a more parent/home approach, there can be some carry-over into school as well.

My son and I love the games in this book, and we often end up in fits of laughter.

I also love RDI because it doesn't feel like therapy - it just feels like playing! The games are light and non invasive, and don't involve analytical thinking or psychology etc. This is perfect for my son as he tends to think too much about things. These games get right outside of linear thinking and work on relating.

Highly recommended!

The title of thie book is a little misleading, as the book is not really a downward age-extension of Gutstein's other RDI book but an expansion of exercises useful for the first 3 stages of RDI. Therefore, it is THE book for most parents of children with ASD, as usually these are the stages you end up starting with/on when doing the RDI exercises with your child. And, having more than double the options for the exercises is very helpful. I strongly recommend this book.

This book gives excellent advice to parents on ways for parents to help their autistic child develop socially. The principles are laid out clearly and activity descriptions are easy to follow. Unfortunately, for us, the beginner activities are nearly all too difficult for my child. As the book makes the objectives for each activity clear, parents can, if necessary, invent easier activities to meet them. I would recommend it but I understand the authors no longer do, saying that RDI has moved on since its publication and that the book no longer represents what RDI is about.

Great for preschoolers with autism who are low to high functioning. You will come away with a least 5 new play activites here that will always work.

Anyone in the medical profession who deals with children on a daily basis will tell you that kids don't like coming to the doctor. They don't like being examined and they certainly don't like the white coats. So anything that can help ease their anxiety is a welcome asset. Tokar provides such a tool.

He describes several simple magic tricks using common clinic items that are easy to learn and sure to have a lasting impact on your younger patients, putting them at ease in the exam room, making the exam easier and certainly alleviating their future fears. This is well worth the time and the effort.

This is a good, fun read; very light and very quick. It's ideal to dip into and some of the items I'll certainly use. However, most I won't. Or, more to the point, can't. Many of the effects in here require too much preparation with secret gimmicks etc. The cut and restored stethoscope is great... but unfortunately quite inpractical. Many of these effects would be ideal for the HCP that has their own office or consult room. For the wards or A&E, many of these are just too lengthy. They are simply the same magic tricks that many magicians perform but the author's have attempted to make them work by substituting the materials for that of medical equipment, with no regard to the surroundings. A great book and I would probably buy it again, but expected way too much.

A simple magic trick can pull a patient's attention away from the stressors of the clinical and take them to a realm of possibilities - a realm of hope, humor and trust. We hospital clowns do it all the time. Here is a book written for medical staff using "stuff" that is just around the clinic. This fabulous book will give medical staff enough "know how" to be able to use magic to enter this playful relationship. Can you find a better realm in which to practice your medicine? -- Shobi Dobi, Editor of The Hospital Clown Newsletter

If you work in healthcare, this book is a fun resource that will help you inject fun into your interactions with patients. I love magic, and was impressed by the level of the tricks taught in this book. They aren't silly - some of them are actually professional level! I liked the clear illustrations. They make the tricks easy to learn, even if you've never opened a "magic book" before. Tokar and Carroll knew exactly who their target audience was when they wrote this: medical professionals. If you want to win over your patients fast, this book is definitely for you.

Scott and Harrison have come up with a creative and fun solution towards maximizing the doctor/patient relationship, especially with pediatrics. This simple and easy to follow book and companion DVD is a must have for doctors working with children but even adults will enjoy the magic. And these tricks are not just for doctors, anyone can do it. And it especially helps with those difficult times when immunizations for the under 10 crowd are a must!
Great job Scott and Harrison!