A Guide to Child Health: A Holistic Approach to Raising Children

This acclaimed guide to children's physical, psychological, and spiritual development is now available in a fourth revised edition. Combining up-to-date medical advice with issues of development and education, this is a definitive guide for parents.

If you've ever wanted a deeper understanding of your child's illnesses, or to take a more holistic approach to your child's health, this is the book for you. As well as comprehensively covering medical issues, it's also about parenting techniques, education, spirituality and play--a truly integrated approach to all aspects of raising healthy children in the broadest sense.

The authors based their theory and practice on more than twenty years of experience in the children's outpatient department of the Herdecke Hospital in Germany, which follows anthroposophic principles.

The first section covers childhood ailments and home nursing. The second part looks at the healthy development of children and how to create the best conditions for them. The authors go on to examine issues of development and education, and their consequences for later life. Throughout, the book is extremely practical, with example situations of conflict and crisis presented, along with possible solutions. It includes medical and health practices in North America, Southern Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as the UK and Europe.

The fourth edition includes updates on treatments for tonsillitis, croup, sunstroke, and head lice, as well as possible complications arising from measles and ultrasound scans. The section on vaccinations includes the latest recommendations and has updates on measles, meningococcal and HPV. There is also a new section on electromagnetic pollution, including mobile (cell) phones and UHF and SHF radio frequencies, and their effects on respiration, the immune system, and fertility.

"This is an invaluable book...very practical with many examples of conflict and crisis presented along with possible solutions. I recommend this book as an essential addition to your library." -- Education Otherwise , August 2005

"A vital book for all parents who seek a deeper understanding of their child's health. 'The Green Parent Favourite' award." -- The Green Parent , November 2004

"Full of the kind of wise tips that used to get passed down from mother to daughter but are sadly missing in this day and age. An invaluable reference source that I found very comforting when my daughter was ill with a very high temperature recently. Highly recommended." -- Juno: A natural approach to family life , Summer 2004

"A book to be recommended to parents who seek for a deeper understanding about their children's illnesses." -- British Homeopathic Journal

"An excellent picture of the development stages, children's problems and illnesses, and is a good reference. This book should be on the shelf of every parent and general practitioner." -- Anthroposophy Today

Dr. Michaela Glöckler has been Leader of the Medical Section at the Goetheanum, the School of Spiritual Science in Dornach, Switzerland since 1988. She attended the Waldorf School in Stuttgart, then studied German language, literature, and history in Freiburg and Heidelberg. She studied medicine in Tübingen and Marburg and trained as a pediatrician at the community hospital in Herdecke and at the Bochum University Pediatric Clinic. Until 1988 she was a colleague in the children’s outpatient clinic at the Community Hospital in Herdecke and served as school doctor for the Rudolf Steiner School in Witten, Germany. Michaela has many publications in German. Her publications in English include Medicine at the Threshold, A Healing Education, Developmental Insights, and A Guide to Child’s Health.