Back to Results
Cover image of Keeping Your Child Healthy in a Germ-Filled World
Cover image of Keeping Your Child Healthy in a Germ-Filled World
Share this Title:

Keeping Your Child Healthy in a Germ-Filled World

A Guide for Parents

Athena P. Kourtis, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H.

Publication Date
Binding Type

The world is full of germs, and the news is full of stories about infectious diseases and antibiotic-resistant superbugs. What can parents do to protect their children? Keeping Your Child Healthy in a Germ-Filled World gives parents the information they need to shield their kids from infections and keep their family healthy.

Infections are harmful, but not all germs are bad. Dr. Athena P. Kourtis, a pediatrician and infectious disease specialist—and mother—teaches parents how to protect their kids without going overboard. She helps parents sort through the latest information about antibiotics...

The world is full of germs, and the news is full of stories about infectious diseases and antibiotic-resistant superbugs. What can parents do to protect their children? Keeping Your Child Healthy in a Germ-Filled World gives parents the information they need to shield their kids from infections and keep their family healthy.

Infections are harmful, but not all germs are bad. Dr. Athena P. Kourtis, a pediatrician and infectious disease specialist—and mother—teaches parents how to protect their kids without going overboard. She helps parents sort through the latest information about antibiotics, vaccines, hygiene, health foods, and home remedies, and she identifies which rules to follow—and which ones to ignore. She says:

• No to overprotecting your children from germs
• No to antimicrobial soaps and cleaning products at home
• No to over-prescribed antibiotics
• Yes to strategic hand washing
• Yes to being conscious of germs and the pathways they use
• Yes to vaccines

She offers tips for protecting your children wherever they are—at home or school, on the playground, while traveling—and whatever they are doing—playing sports, camping, visiting the beach—and answers questions that commonly worry parents. How many times should you wash prewashed spinach? (At least twice.) Does getting enough sleep help fight infection? (Yes.) Are pre-sliced foods more likely to spread infection? (They are.)

Reading this comprehensive, illustrated guide is the first step to keeping your family healthy. Up-to-date, accurate information and a clear understanding of how germs and our bodies work will help you and your child stay afloat in the microbial sea.

Reviews

Reviews

This is a well written and easily comprehended book that concerned parents should be encouraged to read.

About

Book Details

Publication Date
Status
Available
Trim Size
6
x
9
Pages
272
ISBN
9781421402123
Illustration Description
19 line drawings, 4 maps
Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
When Germs and People Interact: An Introduction
Part I: Which Germs Where?
1. I'm Hungry! Food-Borne Germs and Food Preparation Safety
2. A, B, C and 1, 2, 3: Common Germs at Day

Preface
Acknowledgments
When Germs and People Interact: An Introduction
Part I: Which Germs Where?
1. I'm Hungry! Food-Borne Germs and Food Preparation Safety
2. A, B, C and 1, 2, 3: Common Germs at Day Care and School
3. Swim, Ski, or Wrestle: Germs Encountered When Playing Sports
4. Fur, Feathers, and Fangs: Germs from Pets and Other Animals
5. The Great Outdoors: Germs in the Garden, at the Campground, on the Farm, and at the Beach
6. Close to Home and Overseas: Tips for Avoiding Germs When You Travel
7. Sexually Transmitted Infections, Tattoos, and Piercings: Helping Teenagers Navigate Germs Safely
Part II: Our Defenses against Germs
8. Taking Medicine: The Use and Misuse of Antibiotics
9. The Miracle of Modern Prevention: Vaccine Safety and Effectiveness
10. Baby's on the Way: Protect Your Unborn Baby with a Healthy Pregnancy
11. Bonding with Your Baby: The Benefits of Breastfeeding
12. Supplements, Herbs, Organic Produce, and Probiotics: Do They Protect You from Germs?
13. Wash Your Hands! Personal and Household Hygiene for the Twenty-first Century
14. Myths and Truths: Does Science Back Up Traditional Wisdom about Preventing Infections?
Afterword
Trustworthy Web Resources
Selected Bibliography
Index

Author Bio
Athena P. Kourtis, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H.
Featured Contributor

Athena P. Kourtis, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H.

Athena P. Kourtis, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., is a pediatrician and infectious diseases specialist, a scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and an associate professor of pediatrics at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, where she has practiced, taught, and researched pediatric infections for the past fifteen years. Dr. Kourtis has written nearly 100...