Page 58 - Fall2012

All Thumbs Book Reviews

The Prepared Family Guide more historical or natural remedies. Some treat-
to Uncommon Diseases ment sections do include very useful and practi-
By Enola Gay, Paratus Family Press cal observations, such as the close trimming of
fingernails for someone suffering from chicken-
Imagine waking up one day to a world filled pox to reduce damage from the urge to itch.
with people suffering from tuberculosis, whoop- The book provides limited information on
ing cough, measles, chicken pox, bubonic plague. herbalism (including a natural anti-louse sham-
What would you do? How would you know which poo), with none on homeopathy or any other
infection you or your kids might be facing? alternative healing arts for treating these condi-
Well, this imaginary world is not too far- tions. This is somewhat understandable, given
fetched. Certain infections once thought con- the author’s credentials. But just as she consulted
quered and crushed are making a comeback. with a medical doctor to fill in certain gaps in
Conditions which many 21st-century parents the book, the inclusion of other disciplines would
have never had concern or even contact with are have further increased the tome’s value.
now popping up across the country. A whoop- The Prepared Family Guide also could use
ing cough outbreak in the Pacific Northwest more generalized preventative information, both
stretched from British Columbia to California. nutritional and environmental. For instance, in
A school in California had an outbreak of over areas of the country where mosquitoes and their
twenty students (all of whom were vaccinated, attendant diseases are increasing, the recommen-
no less) with chicken pox. dation to build bat housing and introduce other
The Prepared Family Guide provides an im-
A whooping portant resource for just such a worrisome time. natural predator controls would be useful.
What the book highlights is the growing
cough More important, for any family that has chosen need for a holistic, desk reference-type work
outbreak in not to vaccinate their children, this book is a made available and in a format that is acces-
the Pacific must (along with other complementary books) sible to average families covering a wide range
to ensure that if one of these infections does pop of conditions and diseases, both contagious and
Northwest up, the family is prepared to deal with it. degenerative.
stretched from The book’s organization is excellent, both Imagine a children’s health guide detailing
British overall and in separate discourses on each par- common conditions and diseases, along with
ticular disease. Each disease is addressed with a recommendations from all the pertinent fields:
Columbia to number of short sections including description, dietary, supplementation, herbs, homeopathy,
California. signs and symptoms, treatment, containment, integrated medicine, historical remedies and

A school in history, and finally a “doctor says” comment. treatments, and more.
Each section is useful, but especially the Such a resource is sorely needed to equip
California had signs and symptoms and treatment sections. and enable parents to bring the best of each dis-
an outbreak Many modern families have never seen a case of cipline to bear on the disparate and sometimes
of over twenty many of these diseases, and with their possible challenging health conditions children contract.
resurgence, a familiarity with their symptoms Until such a book is written, parents should build
students (all of can enable a family to catch a condition before a good library with all the tools needed to raise
whom were it becomes a crisis. healthy kids in a sometimes unhealthy world,
The work’s main weakness is in the treat-
including ones like The Prepared Family Guide
vaccinated, ment section. First, treatment recommendations to Uncommon Diseases.
no less) with are relatively limited to conventional, modern Review by John Moody
chicken pox. medicine (drugs, antibiotics), and a few other,
58 Wise Traditions FALL 2012 FALL 2012 Wise Traditions

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