HOW TO RAISE A HEALTHY CHILD
IN SPITE OF YOUR DOCTOR
When I started Chiropractic School back in 1988, I was assigned a book. Along with the many big and expensive medical tests that I had to purchase, a 5 dollar paperback; Robert Mendelsohn’s How to Raise a Healthy Child… in Spite of your Doctor was on my required-reading list as well.
Needless to say, when you are 21 years old, single with no children of your own, taking 30 credit hours per trimester, and working part time; reading a book like this is not at the top of your priority list. At the time, it was a book that I skimmed to get the information needed to pass the class, and then forgot about —- that is until Malachi was born in 1998. Like all parents do, I quickly realized that there is nothing scarier than a sick child —- a fact echoed by Dr Mendelsohn himself. Needless to say, I pulled the book off my office shelf and began reading.
In this easy-to-read book, Dr Mendelsohn lays out the medical issues that you need to be worried about (a short list) and the things that you needn’t fret about (a very long list). He has chapters on protecting your child before they are born, NUTRITION, FEVER, headaches, stomach aches, colds / flu, strep throat, EAR INFECTIONS, skin conditions, orthopedic conditions, ASTHMA, ALLERGIES, ADD / ADHD, CHILDHOOD VACCINATIONS, choosing the right doctor, and many others. Amy and I found this book so valuable that for a very long time, it was what we gave young couples as a wedding gift, or for their baby shower.
I will admit, some of the information in his book is out of date (it was published during my senior year in high school). There are also some things that I would not agree with. My guess is that if Mendelsohn were alive today, he himself would argue against some of the things he wrote about nearly three decades ago. Just remember that reading this book is an exercise in logic and common sense when it comes to thinking about and taking care of sick children. If you are into numerous examples of EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE, I would suggest you take a look at his other famous book, CONFESSIONS OF A MEDICAL HERETIC.
DR MENDELSOHN’S BIO:
Robert Mendelsohn, America’s most beloved Pediatrician, earned his medical degree in 1951 from the prestigious University of Chicago School of Medicine. In addition to several decades of seeing tens of thousands of children in his thriving practice, he wore many different hats. Some of these included……
- Instructor at Northwest University Medical College
- Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Community Health and Preventive Medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine
- President of the National Health Federation
- National Director of Project Head Start’s Medical Consultation Service
- Chairman of the Medical Licensing Committee of the State of Illinois
- Appearing on over 500 television and radio talk shows
- Author of several books.
Although Dr. Mendelsohn died a few short months before I was assigned to read his book, his legacy lives on. If you have children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or friends, I would STRONGLY suggest that you buy a copy of this book for yourself, and one to loan out or give away. Amazon still carries it. And while you are at it, read a few of the Customer Reviews. It’s really a shame that more doctors are not bucking the system and carving their own trails like Medelsohn did. Great man. Great book. Thanks doc!
