The Portable Pediatrician

by Laura Walther Nathanson

Dr. Laura Nathanson wrote The Portable Pediatrician to help parents find the joy in parenting and gain the confidence to quickly and easily assess their child's development, medical symptoms, and behavioral problems. Parents can't always visit their pediatrician every time they have a question, but fortunately with this book they have the next best thing. The Portable Pediatrician , one of the few child-care books written by a practicing pediatrician, offers authoritative and practical advice

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Family, Childrens, Health, Reference, Medical

696 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1900

Reviews

[raccoon reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I skimmed some of the section that pertained to my 19 month old and a few others before and after. I don't think I'm fond of her decisive parenting advice. I expected more about health and less about "your child should not have a pacifier anymore" type blanket statements that I encountered. Also, she makes the blanket statement that no two year old will open his mouth willingly for a tongue depressor at a dr. visit. Mine does and has consistently at the last several visits. There's nothing to be scared of about it and he thinks it's funny. I had written a much longer review pointing out enough of these discrepancies to make me feel better about disliking the book then erased them, mostly because the book is old. 2002. The most recent version I could find was 2009 (but I did only look very quickly). I think this book does more harm than good on library shelves (which is where I found it). Many changes in wisdom and medicine have occurred since then making this book a bit bleh, and bordering on obsolete. I don't have time to fact check this book to see if it has anything seriously outdated in the medical advice, but the general rule of thumb in public libraries is 5 years on books that provide medical advice. If you're looking at reviews to see if it's worth purchasing, my advice is No. Not unless there is one that has been printed in the last 3 or so years...

[Salvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book saved me the first baby year

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book about parenting in a clear and succinct manner.

[N N · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read about 10% of this book and agree with other reviews that it seems obsolete.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. Very good descriptions of what children are like at a given age, what to expect now and next, how to handle doctor's visits, what to do if your child is ill, etc. They copy i have has horrible drawings of kids, though. I think they've changed this in the newer editions. I referred this constantly when my 4 kids were little, and now use her The Portable Pediatrician's Guide to Kids: Your Child's Physical and Behavioral Development from Age 5 to Age 12.

[Dedra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one has eased my mind during some sick nights/days...I know that some folks have a problem with her...what pediatrician or child psychologist doesn't have their nay-sayers??...BUT ...this book is not supposed to be the end all be all...no book is..it provide a basic guideline that helps ..and it did.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This booked helped a panicking young single mother through the mysteries of her first child and has helped my husband and myself through our second child. This is the only book of this nature that I was able to read while being sleep deprived so I would definitely suggest this book to first time or even experienced parents. It has lots of "need to know" and "wish I would have known" facts in it.

[Emily Peery · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this reference book--a great crash course on child development. Very approachable, it gives great examples with stories and descriptions. A much better alternative to the "what to expect" series, in my opinion.

[Traci Rickard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm "re-reading" this book now with Danica - although I don't read every page. I have found it to be very valuable and a great "go to" book when I have a question or just want to read up on a few things. =) I enjoyed it MUCH more than the "What to Expect" books.

[Joan Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book came highly recommended to me by a pediatrician almost 5 years ago and I found it to be the most reliable go-to guide of those I bought or were given to me. Well written, easy to search format, and far superior to the highly over-rated "What to Expect" series.

[Deirdre K · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gift from Marie. Good reference book.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have found myself referring back to this book many times with both kids.

[Cws]

649 Nat

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has come in handy countless times with my four children. It is very thorough and actually interesting to read. The author has a great sense of humor as well as experiece.