A Parent's Guide to Children's Medicines

Starred review from November 15, 2012

Bell (pediatrics, Drake Univ.) gives parents an important tool in this slim guide to medication safety and usage. He covers lots of terrain, including how medicine works differently in children and adults, the best way to measure liquid medicines, choosing among different medications for fever, and antibiotics use, as well as an entire chapter on vaccines. His presentation is factual, reassuring, and based on the latest scientific studies. He also includes a librarian's dream chapter on evaluating the accuracy of medical websites and seeking other sources of information. VERDICT With ample sidebars and illustrations, Bell's title belongs right next to the medicine cabinet, along with last year's My Child Is Sick: Expert Advice for Managing Common Illnesses and Injuries by Barton Schmitt.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2012
Parents who worry about whether medications are safe for their children get expert reassurance from the pediatric pharmacist who wrote this guide. Bell is no unabashed drug fan. He mentions that all medications come with potential side effects. The anti-inflammatory steroid prednisone can help kids with asthma breathe better, but it can also cause mood changes and trouble sleeping. The book is full of helpful tips. Use a dosing spoon or dropper, not a kitchen teaspoon because they vary in size. Occasionally, parents may want to know even more than this comprehensive guide provides, such as when Bell notes that aspirin is a no-no for anyone under 18 because it can cause Reye's syndrome, a dangerous condition that affects the liver and brain. Still, this well-researched book, which also includes information on common conditions, such as constipation, and the drugs that treat them, could save lives.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)