FROM THE PUBLISHER: Becoming parents and raising healthy
children is the most important, exhilarating, frightening and confusing job
most of us will ever undertake. Not only does everyone have an opinion, but
medical information can become outdated within months of it having been
established. For new parents and veterans alike, separating fact from
well-intended conjecture can be difficult enough. Taking on the medical
establishment can be simply overwhelming. Dr. Grossman is here to give courage
and support. "I hope to give parents an understanding of what is known about
the common illnesses and other problems of childhood and the usual
developmental issues, but perhaps most importantly I hope to teach this:
listen skeptically to the many voices telling you how to raise your kids and
live your family life, and take an active rather than passive role in your
relations with the medical establishment." What is most notable about this
particular passage is the attitude he hopes to convey to readers-an attitude
that calls parents to action in a positive, well-informed, and direct way
throughout all of their children's various developmental stages. EVERYDAY
PEDIATRICS takes you all the way from family planning through your child's
adolescence, delving into a wide range of problems and wellness issues along
the way.