For any parent or guardian tasked with taking care of or protecting a child, one of the biggest worries which can overcome that person is what to do when some sort of sickness befalls upon the child. Whether it is a simple cough or high fever, or something far more serious and debilitating, a parent’s biggest fear is facing an illness and not being able to do anything to help their child. Being able to identify these sudden ailments and determine what needs to be done to address these concerns is something every parent should be able to study or learn while adjusting to life as a parent.
That is the drive behind author S. Cornelia Franz MD’s Common Sense Pediatrics: Combining Alternative and Traditional Medicine in Everyday Practice. The book is a simple yet insightful guide from someone trained in both traditional and more holistic medicinal practices on how to care for a child throughout their young life. In this third edition of the book, the author shares what to expect throughout each milestone year of a child’s life, from the time they are born to the day they become an adult. From there, the author helps parents to be able to identify specific ailments or occurrences and find the means of tackling those problems head on, both the common and everyday ailments and the more serious ones and determine what requires a trip to the physician and what can be handled using homeopathy – and how to tackle more chronic illnesses as well.
Bringing in a third edition of this book was an inspired choice, as it provided so much more detail and depth of knowledge in this book that showcased the new discoveries and experiences the author was able to utilize to further the knowledge parents need to have for their child’s healthcare journey. The thing which struck this reviewer immediately was the balance the author was able to find in both traditional and non-traditional healthcare options for parents, taking the time to highlight things parents can be doing for their child at home using natural healing techniques while using their newfound knowledge to be able to identify when a child needs professional healthcare providers such as pediatricians to handle more dire circumstances. A moment in Chapter Two’s opening comes to mind, when the author showcases the difference in medicinal science versus mathematics, with math being a science that can be repeated again with the same result while medicine is ever changing as new discoveries and practices are founded, such as DNA and the invention of Penicillin years earlier.
The detail and the amount of time the author took to walk readers through each stage of their child’s life and what their child should typically expect from a health perspective made this such an insightful and engaging read. Anyone who shares a passion for medicine and non-fiction reads, especially readers who can come at this from either a parent’s point of view or someone who works in the medical field, will thoroughly be drawn to this book, and the relatability and honest with the author writes this book will keep readers connected to the lessons that can be gleaned in this book as well. Finally, a pediatric book that bridges the gap between conventional medicine and alternative therapies. Dr. Franz delivers clear, trustworthy advice that empowers parents to make confident health decisions for their kids. This book is a breath of fresh air in pediatric care.
