On reflection, I'm somewhat surprised that (apart from somewhat expensive UpToDate) there doesn't seem to be a resource for (not necessarily pediatric) patients comparable to Dr. Spock's books on child rearing. The likes of webmd are watered down (by not differentiating between very different probabilities or very different amounts of evidence various symptoms give). Only thing I can think of as being similarly useful are the NHS guides, but even they could be improved and are focused on explaining particular already-diagnosed injuries, illnesses, and consequences of procedures.
This obviously doesn't really replace a GP, but it could reduce their caseload and improve communications with patients (though this last might be a projection bias of mine).
Huh. My impression, when I read one of them, was that they recommended allowing children to face natural consequences of their actions (and adviced on how to make those nonpermanent) over imposing artificial ones and apart from that mostly repeatedly advised that one should treat a children like an adult that has some temporary disabilities. Is my impression wrong, or does your opinion apply to this?
I'm curious whether you have an opinion about UpToDate (or rather, whether you think it's included in your generic statement about materials from the internet).
I can't comment on UpToDate because i am not familiar with it.
As to Dr. Spock's books and advice. I am old. I watched the results of his advice. I started reading one of his books many decades ago and didn't finish it because it was garbage and that's where it ended up...in my trash bin.
I don't believe in hitting children but also, treating them like adults when they have no concept of the world due to a lack of real world experience is absolutely irresponsible.
@robryk
DrSpock's books are partly to blame for the outrageous behaviour we are seeing in adults today. His advice on child rearing was essentially, "allow them do do whatever they choose without facing any consequences"
Now we have generations of adults thinking they can do exactly that.
The only online resources that are at all reliable are teaching universities. But there is no reliable resource for diagnosis. None.