if your kid eats this book.....Review and Giveaway

Have you ever had a child fall from a great height? Do you know the number to poison control? Have you had to decide if an insect bite was serious? Have you ever wished you had an emergency room physician on speed dial? Now you can. Sort of! Lara Zibner, MD is a former assistant professor of pediatric emergency medicine, and she shares her wisdom and experience in her new book: (gotta love the title!) if your kids eats this book, everything will still be okay: How to Know if Your Child's Injury or Illness Is Really an Emergency.

Ironically, the day after I received my review copy in the mail, my daughter came in from the back yard screaming that something poked her. At first I saw a red scratch, so I just gave her a hug and sent her away. But she still protested. So I looked closer. In just minutes, she started developing welts. As Daddy checked her out, I grabbed the book. (Where I learned that "whatever creature gets your kid, realize that most children will do just fine and have nothing other than a red, swollen, itchy bite for a while. Ninety-nine percent of the time it honestly doesn't matter what it was that bit your kid." There is a 911! alert box that describes things to watch for: swelling of the lips or tongue, difficulty breathing, becoming unconscious; or other signs of significant allergic reaction. Then it's time to call for help.

My only complaint about the book: Where was it for the first 11 years of my life as a mom?!!?

Dr. Zibner's basic rules are:

• A crying child has an airway and is conscious.
• When "everything hurts", probably nothing is really broken.
• Babies and toddlers don't fake pain.
• Never trust a toddler. (Who knows what they ate/stuck up their nose/fed the baby?)
• Always trust your gut.

From the publisher:

As an Emergency Room pediatrician, Dr. Lara Zibners has seen it all. She's cared for a portion of the 25 million children in the U.S. who are taken to the ER each year-and she knows that more than 50% of these visits may be unnecessary. IF YOUR KID EATS THIS BOOK, EVERYTHING WILL STILL BE OKAY shows parents when they may need to take action, and when they might be able to just go back to bed and call their doctor in the morning. With sections such as "In the Diaper" and "His Noggin and the Nervous System," Dr. Zibners covers every part of the body and offers sound advice (for example, did you know that oil is the best remedy for dissolving superglue between body parts?), all while maintaining a lively and often hilarious tone. To the question, "What if she chokes on her vomit?" Zibners answers, "A healthy child will not choke on her own vomit, unless she is drunk or high on Grandma's sleeping pills."

Finally, no more frantic late-night searches through the "why to buy," "how to diaper," or "what to feed him" sections found in other childcare books to find out if little Franny needs to go to the ER. This book focuses on the truly important questions, like how to keep her from electrocuting herself in the first place. Not every child has a pediatrician with specialized emergency room experience living in her home. But this book just might be the next best thing.

Lara Zibners, MD, is a former Assistant Professor of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Currently, she divides her professional time between New York and London.

Want to win a copy (5 winners!)?

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Contest ends Monday July 15th.

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