Author: Dr. Charlotte Cowan
ISBN: 0-9753516-3-X
Publisher: The Hippocratic Press

Click Here To Purchase Katie Caught a Cold (A Dr. Hippo Story)

This reviewer was enduring the sniffles as she sat down to read and review Katie Caught a Cold. Between coughs and nose-blowings I thought, “How ironic!” and then, “How appropriate. Who better to evaluate the effectiveness of the book?” Wishing I had a mommy’s lap to snuggle on, I grabbed a tissue and snuggled up next to the fire to begin.

Katie the bear cub has been practicing her ice skating for an upcoming ice show, and she hates to quit when Mom calls her in from the ice. Despite a little sneezing, she wants to keep practicing. By morning, she is not feeling so chipper. The sneezing has increased in frequency, and Katie is without appetite, stuffed up and blowing “green stuff” from her nose. Although Katie has no fever, Mama decides to keep her home from school and consult the pediatrician. Dr. Hippo assures Mama that yellowish-green mucous with no fever was most likely caused by a viral infection, and that rest and liquids would help her fight off the virus. Within a few days she felt well enough to perform in the ice show, despite a cough. Dr. Hippo had told Mama not to worry about the cough unless it lasted longer than two weeks or had a fever with it. Clearly Katie felt well, because she and her friends won a prize at the ice show. This writer is now convinced that she, too, will survive her autumn cold and triumph with a new review.

In  Katie Caught a Cold, Dr. Charlotte has once again examined a common childhood ailment and described in a helpful and engaging way how it affects the patient, what symptoms to watch for, how they should be treated and what to expect during the recuperation period. Like the other books in the Dr. Hippo series (“Peeper Has a Fever,” “The Moose with Loose Poops,” “Sadie’s Sore Throat” and “The Little Elephant with the Big Earache,” this one includes a pull-out guide for parents, answering these basic questions:

  • How will I know if my child has a cold?

  • What can I do to make my child comfortable?

  • What medicines should I give my child?

  • What are the complications of a cold?

  • When may my child return to daycare or school?

  • How can I protect my child from colds?

  • When should I call the doctor about my child’s cold?

  • Won’t the doctor prescribe antibiotics?

  • What is a cold?

  • Why are colds so contagious?

This approach to teaching children and their parents about childhood illnesses empowers them to take responsibility for their own health care, with the advice of a physician. In July 2009 Dr. Cowan was selected as one of the nation’s leading “Social Innovators” for healthcare education and received prestigious recognition by President Obama at the White House. Congratulations to Dr. Charlotte Cowan on another great book.


Click Here To Purchase Katie Caught a Cold (A Dr. Hippo Story)