Going to the Doctor by T. Berry Brazelton, Alfred Womack (Illustrator)

Product Details

Synopsis

A lifetime of listening and caring has given Dr. T. Berry Brazelton unique empathy for his young patients. In this warm, delightful book, he explains each step of a visit to the doctor: from the stethoscope and checking the reflexes, to the eye chart and even the shots. His humor, honesty, and, above all, his respect for the child's curiosity and worries shine through on every page.Hilariously candid drawings by Dr. Brazelton's grandson Alfred express the child's point of view while vivid photos bring the reader right into the doctor's office. With an afterword to help parents make the most of each checkup, Going to the Doctor will fascinate all children and help them understand and even look forward to their next visit to the doctor.

Annotation

A pediatrician tells what happens when a child goes to the doctor for a check-up, with explanations of the instruments and procedures that will be encountered.

Children's Literature

Noted pediatrician, Brazelton, has written a book for children explaining the procedure during a routine check-up. His grandson provided illustrations from the child's perspective, and clear photos show Dr. Brazelton interacting with his patients. For my tastes, the text focuses too much on how embarrassing a check-up can be; leaving me feeling more embarrassed than I was at the outset. Some of the drawings depict procedures in a terrifying light; for instance, checking reflexes is shown as a huge sledgehammer descending upon the patient. In my experience, children love the little "tomahawk" used and think it is funny to see their legs kick-they often repeat the maneuver on their own, "accidentally" kicking the doctor. Also, dear Dr. Brazelton goes against the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations in describing a multipuncture test for tuberculosis. TB testing is only recommended for high-risk groups, not routinely, and should only be done with an injection into the skin, not the old-time test.

Biography

T. Berry Brazelton, M.D., founder of the Child Development Unit at Children's Hospital Boston, is Clinical Professor of Pediatrics Emeritus at Harvard Medical School and Professor of Pediatrics and Human Development at Brown University. He is a famed advocate for children, and his many other internationally acclaimed books for parents include To Listen to a Child, Infants and Mothers, and, with Stanley I. Greenspan, M.D., The Irreducible Needs of Children.