What’s Eating Your Child?

Ever since my daughter started eating solid food, I find myself reading more and more about nutrition.  The latest on my bookshelf is What’s Eating Your Child? This is not your everyday nutrition book, as it’s written by a dietitian and mom who uses nutritional solutions to common ailments.  Kelly Dorfman. Dorfman explores the many connections between food and common childhood ailments like attention problems, insomnia, eczema, and ear infections.  After a long winter of reoccurring ear infections, I skipped to that chapter first.
My daughter suffered three ear infections this past winter. Once one cleared up, another one took its place.  The constant antibiotics took a toll on her tummy and gave her the worst diaper rash I have ever seen.  I was personally interested in Dorfman’s take on how to avoid this miserable situation.  Her research indicated that many children with ear infections experienced relief when they greatly reduced their daily dairy intake.  My daughter hasn’t found a cheese she doesn’t like so this resonated with me.  I’m hoping we have turned a corner with the better weather, but I feel better prepared if we run into the same issue next winter.  In the book I also learned how important it is for young children to have clear hearing capabilities as any impairment at this stage can have life long consequences.
Throughout the book, Dorfman provides a list of questions you can ask yourself if your child is dealing with a childhood ailment.  Depending on the answers, there is a list of suggested actions.  As a mother of three, Dorfman’s writing is very honest and easy to understand for any mom looking for a possible natural remedy to treat a variety of challenges.

Looking for more childhood nutritional reads… I loved the book, The Unhealthy Truth, by Robyn O’Brien, which delves into the challenging world of food allergies and why they are becoming more common.  After reading this book, I became even more wary about all the hormones, pesticides and artificial ingredients that have been approved for our food system in this country, but banned in others. After reading this book, I haven’t looked at a food label again the same way.  ( I read them ALL the time too, which has really slowed down my grocery shopping trips.)

I also recently read Feeding Baby Green, by Dr Alan Greene.  I am nursing a four month old and feeding a two year old so this is a great book for anyone in a similar situation.  After reading about starting baby on solids, I think I’ll take a different approach with baby #2 and skip the white rice cereal and stick with whole grains and real food….bananas, avocados, etc.  We try to avoid processed foods for the rest of the family, so my plan is include baby in this goal as well.

Got a favorite book about childhood nutrition?  Please share it in the comments, thanks!