Children catch many more infections during their early years than adults do--in part because of their young immune systems, in part because of exposure to lots of germs at school, day care, and home. From ear infections to sore throats, food poisoning to chickenpox, children seem to come home with some new germ every week. Fortunately, there is much parents can do to reduce the number of infections that children contract, and parents will be greatly relieved to turn to this book for advice and guidance when facing everything from the common cold to more serious infections such as meningitis. This book provides the information parents need about the most common infections that their children are likely to catch, as well as diseases that are guarded against by vaccines, and some rarer diseases that parents should know about in case of an emergency. It is intended to help parents identify these diseases and make educated decisions about when a child needs medical intervention or attention, or whether home treatment is warranted. Organized from A to Z, the entries include information about each infection: causes symptoms how it spreads incubation period when to call the doctor diagnosis treatment prevention Also included in the book is an index of symptoms and a series of appendices with vaccine recommendations, advice for day-care workers on the prevention of outbreaks, and other handy resources for parents. Visit us on-line at http://www.mgr.

com.