Introduction

I wrote this book for the same reason that I wrote its predecessor, Your Newborn: Head to Toe. It seems obvious to me that you, as parents, want - and need - a resource to go to when your child is sick or hurt. You want something on your shelf that you can pull down at 2:00 in the morning before calling your doctor. You want a resource that you can go back to after you have seen the doctor, because you have already forgotten half of what was said or you have ten new questions. You need a hands-on medical book written explicitly for you.

You will likely approach your child's toddler years with more comfort than you had in the first year of life. Caretaking is easier because you know your child. You have fallen into the groove of parenting. Yet the need for clear, concise advice does not end with your child's first birthday.

Just when a rhythm establishes itself, it is time for socialization. Toddler groups and then preschool experiences are critically important for your child's cognitive and social development, but with these comes a series of new medical challenges - constant colds, skin infestations, lice. This is why I call this my "gross book." One of my goals is to cover all those illnesses and ailments that you need to know about but are sometimes too squeamish to ask about. While there is a lot in this book that is not at all disgusting, there is an equal amount that, well, is.... When I was writing this book, I would have two screens open on my computer at any given time. I would flip between Microsoft Word, with its black-and-white text, and my staple Internet reference sites. People would glance over my shoulder as t

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