The Big Book of Symptoms: How to figure out whether to panic about your kid's rash, or go back to bed.

3 a.m. was scariest when I couldn't tell if my child's diarrhea or ear ache were serious or just things to wait and see about. And one of the hardest parts of being a new mom was calling the pediatrician and ending up feeling like I'd overreacted to a minor concern But we can rest a little easier now, because the new release, The Big Book of Symptoms outlines all the different kinds of issues kids can have and the right action to take, whether it's a home remedy or the emergency room. You know how you can look up a symptom online and the results are all, This headache could mean she is tired OR maybe it could probably be a brain tumor. Panic now! This book doesn't do that. It's edited by the American Academy of Pediatrics, so you can trust the information. Each chapter includes a brief explanation of a common condition, and when necessary they include a chart of concerns and smart responses. These range from "your kid fell and is sore" (action: comfort him) to "your child has terrible headaches along with a high temperature, stiff neck and sensitivity to light" (action: call your doctor without delay). The topics covered in The Big Book of Symptoms stretch from the baby years straight on through the teens. Colic. Rashes. Thrush. Asthma. Stings. Bowlegs. Nosebleeds. Speech Problems. Sleep Problems. Fatigue. Sexual behavior. Name it and it's in here. Even media overuse is a medical condition now, I guess. Of course, we would all love to see this information online in web form; these days, I'm still more likely to head to my laptop than my bookshelf when I need immediate information. But  the volume is thorough enough that it could become the new must-have for new parents. In other words, if your kid's complaining about it, you can probably find it in this book. If not, panic now and call the doctor. It's what I tend to do anyway. At least now you'll have good justification for waking her up in the middle of the night. You can find The Big Book of Symptoms at Amazon or your local bookstore.