Synopsis
Ben has been having a hard time. Ever since he can remember, his two sisters and his parents eat whatever they want, whenever they want, and they seem to be fine. But not Ben. When he eats, he often has stomach aches, experiences gagging, and worse yet, he vomits. It seems to him that eating is not a very fun thing at all. Then he is diagnosed with a condition that is hard to pronounce, but the doctor says it’s good that they know what it is so that she can help Ben learn to manage his illness. Friendly, accessible, and relatable, Nancy S. Rotter, Ph.D., and Qian Yuan, M.D. and Ph.D., deliver a much-needed antidote for the frustration children have living with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), a complex and challenging illness. After his endoscopy shows that Ben has EoE, he and his doctor—a gastroenterologist—work together as detectives to solve the mystery of what foods are causing his EoE symptoms. But Ben is worried, not to mention frustrated and sad about all of the problems his disease is causing. Being placed on a special elemental diet, in which he gets his nutrition primarily from drinking something called Splash, isn’t nearly as fun or tasty as eating. Soon enough, Ben is able to gradually add food back into his diet. Sometimes he has to eliminate foods based on the findings of his regular endoscopies, and though it is frustrating, he is sure that they will figure it out soon. Eventually, he and his doctor solve the mystery and he is able to avoid eating these foods and remain healthy. The perfect book for young children coping with the illness and the parents caring for those little ones with the illness, Rotter and Yuan’s fun and informative book is the best medicine available to heal the minds of those whose lives have been impacted by EoE. Based on facts from real stories from actual patients, Eating Isn’t Always Easy: Ben’s Story About His Eosinophilic Esophagitis is as realistic as it is hopeful and uplifting, teaching children that they are an important part in their own healing process.
About the Author
Nancy S. Rotter, Ph.D, is a licensed pediatric psychologist with over twenty years of clinical experience. A senior staff psychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and an assistant clinical professor in child psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Rotter works in the Food Allergy Center at Massachusetts General Hospital where she collaborates with allergists, gastroenterologists, and nutritionists in the treatment of children with food allergies and eosinophilic gastrointestinal conditions.
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