Protecting Your Child’s Health: Expert Answers to Urgent Environmental Questions - #Giveaway

 "Practical information to help build the best possible future for your child." —from the foreword by Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, MPH, FAAP, author of What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City

As a parent, you know your most important job is protecting your child. But, you may not know as much about the numerous environmental hazards your child encounters every day. In a sea of "natural" products and questionable online experts, where can you find information you can trust? Protecting Your Child's Health offers clear guidance on assessing and preventing the risks where your children live, learn, and play. Written by experts at the American Academy of Pediatrics, this practical Q&A guide offers evidence-based answers to questions about food and water safety, air pollution, radiation, pesticides, and more, helping you keep your children safe from the day-to-day environmental dangers in your home, school, and community.

Excerpt

Question:  My 7-year-old daughter is due for her annual physical exam. I have seen news stories about the potential health effects of plasticizers and possible relationship to early puberty. She likes to use nail polish and lotions with fragrance. Given that she already has early signs of puberty, I would like to know what this means for her health.

Answer Generally, puberty is occurring earlier in girls. Specifically, the age at onset of breast budding is occurring earlier, although the age at first menstru- ation is thought to have remained stable over time. Increasing obesity plays a role in earlier maturation. A variety of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been shown to either cause delay or promote early development of puberty. Research is ongoing to enhance our understanding of the role of EDCs on growth and development and on puberty because the early onset of puberty is a risk factor for development of breast cancer later in life. Until we know more, it is wise to take a precautionary approach and reduce exposures to EDCs in foods and other products.

My Thoughts

I have four children, but even with twenty years of experience, I still have a million questions when it comes to their health and safety. The world can be a dangerous place, and while we can cover things like stranger danger and alcohol awareness, the every-changing environment is an area where I felt I needed a little more education. The book covers a variety of topics ranging from the best choices when you're feeding your newborn to how to handle all the complexities of puberty. There are also tons of tips on how to eat healthy foods, like avoiding foods with antibiotics and the safest way to store your foods. One of my favorite sections covered home safety and how to keep your home free of harmful chemicals.

This book provided a great deal of valuable information about the health hazards children face every day of their lives. I thought at first it might be a little too wordy or boring, but the question and answer format makes it a quick and easy read as well as an educational one. I would recommend this book to mothers everywhere, whether your kids are newborns or teenagers. There is something in here for everyone. When you finish reading, you'll come away feeling armed with all the information you need to keep you children safe.

The Giveaway

One lucky winner is going to receive a copy of this amazing book. To enter, just fill in the Giveaway Tools form below. This giveaway will end on 11/15/20. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to reply. Open to the US only  Thanks again to the author for offering this fantastic prize.

Entry-Form