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Information on sex and sexual health is more accessible now than ever, but it's not always correct.If you're a parent of preteens, tweens, or teenagers, you're going to want to listen to this episode, as we dive into talking to your kids about their sexual health. Information is more accessible now than ever, but it's not always correct, so it's still important to sit down and have this conversation with your child. Joining us is Dr. Laura Grubb, an adolescent medicine specialist, and general pediatrician. In this encore episode from November 2020, Dr. Grubb and Melanie discuss the patterns we're seeing in teens these days, how to answer questions about sex and our bodies, and when to start those conversations.

What should we do about lice? Why does my child keep getting strep? Why does my child hate me? What should we do about lice? Why does my child keep getting strep? Why does my child hate me? As a parent, you've probably run to the computer with questions like these. Well, you're not alone, they are just some of the Top 10 Questions Parents Google All the Time.Dr. David Hill wrote an article on these common questions for Parents Magazine and joins us to discuss! So it's ok, step away from the phone or laptop. As a pediatrician and a dad of five, he has got answers you can trust.Dr. Hill currently works as a hospitalist pediatrician for Goldsboro Pediatrics in Wayne County, NC. He admits and cares for newborns and pediatric inpatients, including stabilizing critically ill children and consulting in the emergency department. Dr. Hill is also the co-host of the AAP’s flagship podcast, Pediatrics on Call.

In a powerful new call to action, the American Academy of Pediatrics is demanding critical self-evaluation and fundamental changes in the practice of medicine to end long-standing inequities in health care.In a powerful new call to action, the American Academy of Pediatrics is demanding critical self-evaluation and fundamental changes in the practice of medicine to end long-standing inequities in health care. In a new policy statement, “Eliminating Race-Based Medicine,”  the AAP observes that race is a historically derived social construct that has no place as a biological proxy. Over the years, the medical field has inaccurately applied race correction or race adjustment factors in its work, resulting in differential approaches to disease management and disparate clinical outcomes. Dr. Tiffani J. Johnson, MD, MSc, FAAP is a board-certified pediatric emergency medicine physician at UC Davis, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, and a scholar on race, racism, and its impact on child health. Her research portfolio reflects her commitment to improving the quality of care for underserved children. She is currently exploring the root causes of inequities in the healthcare and early childhood education settings, including research on bias and discrimination and their impact on the health and well-being of children. She is also the co-author of the AAP policy statement and joins Melanie to break down what it means, what critical changes need to be made, and what providers can do.

​Since the outbreak of COVID-19, there have been significant shortages of infant formulas in some stores.   ​Since the outbreak of COVID-19, there have been significant shortages of infant formulas in some stores. Shortages continue to be caused largely by supply chain issues and a recall of several contaminated baby formula products.  To help ease the impact of shortages, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises buying no more than a 10-day to 2-week supply of formula. But if you're still struggling to access baby formula at this time, we are going to discuss today what we can do until we get back to normal. Joining us for this important conversation is Dr. Steven Abrams. Dr. Abrams is a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Dell Medical School. Abrams has developed and championed the use of stable isotopes to determine mineral requirements and physiological turnover rates in infants and children.

How can you best understand and support your children when they come out as gay, bisexual, lesbian, or any other sexual identity and/or sexuality.Today we're diving into an important conversation: how to understand and support your children when they come out as gay, bisexual, lesbian, or any other sexual identity and/or sexuality.  Dr. Naveen Mehrotra is joining us again for this episode, he is a board-certified pediatrician with a special interest in child development and early intervention. He utilizes his interest in complementary and alternative medicine to bring an integrated approach to improving a child's health.  In this encore episode from April 2021, we'll talk about what to say to your children when they open up and come to you with this announcement, what NOT to say, and how we can help families come together and discuss this.

May is National Foster Care Month. May is National Foster Care Month. And with 463,000 American children and youth in foster care, it's important to know how this system works, and the many types of fostering available. And to remember that no child who has been removed from their home has had it easy. Dr. Sarah Springer is a general pediatrician with Kids Plus Pediatrics, who thoroughly enjoys spending time with children. She especially enjoys caring for children with complex medical and developmental needs and partnering with their families to help those children to thrive. She joins Melanie to discuss the difference between kinship & foster care, what is expected of foster parents, and the goal of reuniting families when the biological parents are ready again.

A new dog or other family pet has brought so much joy to uprooted lives during this pandemic.A new dog or other family pet has brought so much joy to uprooted lives during this pandemic. But with increased numbers of pet adoptions come more opportunities for bites, scratches, and other dog or pet woes. Dr. Alison Tothy is back on the show, she is a pediatric emergency medicine physician and a spokesperson for the AAP, and says dog bites have increased with kids being home more this past year. She tells us in this encore episode from June 2021 about this strange side effect of the pandemic, dealing with animal fears, allergies, and deciding as a family when to get a pet.

Heading into the warmer, summer months can bring up a lot of feelings when our kids & teens. Heading into the warmer, summer months can bring up a lot of feelings when our kids & teens think about wearing shorts, T-shirts, and bathing suits.Eating disorders and body dysmorphia occur all year long, but wearing fewer clothes in the summer heat can trigger a lot of emotions. So today we are focusing on eating disorders: signs and symptoms, mental illness, and treatments, and how to talk about bodies & weight with our children.Joining us today for this conversation is Dr. Nicole Cifra. She is a third-year pediatric fellow at the University of Rochester Medical Center and currently serves on the Medical Care Standards Committee of the Academy for Eating Disorders.

You can be a cool parent by knowing what to do if your child wants a tattoo or piercing. Tattoos and body piercing are gaining popularity as a form of personal expression. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommendations for your child’s safety with these body modifications.Basic Guidelines:- Know that each state has a set of rules and regulations for minimum age. Proper identification is needed and so is parental accompaniment in some cases.- Look for a clean and sanitary establishment.- Watch someone else undergo a tattoo or piercing at your chosen establishment.- Meticulous guidelines for care of the wound is important.- It’s expensive to get a laser tattoo removal and it isn’t covered by insurance. Consider long and hard before getting a tattoo. A temporary or henna tattoo is a smart first step.- No tattoo artist or piercer will do a procedure on someone under the influence.- Make sure tetanus, hepatitis and other immunizations are up to date.- If the procedure site is red, hurts more than the initial needling, red streaking above or below, pus or fever, contact your doctor immediately.Speak with your child’s pediatrician if he is considering a body modification. She can share risks and complications if your child is passionate about getting a tattoo or piercing.Listen as Dr. Cora Breuner joins Melanie Cole, MS, in this encore episode from 2018 to share how to make sure your child is safe when getting a body modification.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. What are we looking for, and some real workable advice on why your baby might be crying, and how to calm them down with Dr. Shalon Nienow.  Dr. Shalon Nienow is division director of Child Abuse Pediatrics at Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego, interim medical director at the Chadwick Center for Children and Families, assistant clinical professor of pediatrics at the UC San Diego School of Medicine, and clinical director of Child Abuse Pediatrics at UC San Diego School of Medicine. As a child abuse pediatrician, Dr. Nienow provides medical evaluations for children who are alleged victims of all forms of child abuse/neglect. She frequently serves as an expert witness in civil and criminal legal proceedings related to all aspects of child maltreatment.

These have been unprecedented times for medical care really across the board. But for pregnant women, this was an especially difficult time to navigate. These have been unprecedented times for medical care really across the board. But for pregnant women, this was an especially difficult time to navigate.Dr. Wendy Hasson joins Melanie this episode to talk about pregnancy during COVID-19, the safety of vaccines, and how they affect the baby and shares her own story of how she got vaccinated & boosted while carrying her second child. At the time of this taping, she was 37 weeks pregnant!Dr. Hasson is the Medical Director of the PICU at Randall Children's Hospital.

Simple tips to show your children that you love them on each and every day. It seems straightforward to show love to your kids. But, every parent and every child is different.First, your words have an impact. Sarcasm and mocking can be upsetting to your child. Be positive and find kinder ways to communicate that don’t make your child feel inferior.Second, express gratitude and respect for your child. “Please,” “thank you” and “you’re welcome” are important phrases for communication. They may just help you get that smart device set aside for family time by respectfully making requests.Additionally, hugging is important. They’re great for expressing love and encouraging physical closeness. Hugs can be calming for parents and children alike.Schedule family times and be sure to keep them. Give your children the time they need. You’re cultivating the way they succeed in their future relationships.Listen as Dr. Naveen Mehrotra joins Melanie Cole, MS, in this encore episode from 2018 to share how you can demonstrate your love for your child.

Masks are still an incredibly important tool in the fight against COVID-19. Masks are still an incredibly important tool in the fight against COVID-19. But protests, politics, and overall COVID fatigue are leading to many people taking them off in public now. But masks can still help our kids head into big crowds at school whether it's a kindergarten class or a college lecture.Dr. Hannah Lichtsinn joins us today to talk about the history of masks, how they're still helping and why you should still send your children to school masked up for the time being.

Stories on gay, trans, and gender-nonconforming kids have been all over the news lately.Stories on gay, trans, and gender-nonconforming kids have been all over the news lately with Florida's "Don't Say Gay" Bill and Texas suggesting state agencies investigate certain gender-affirming services as child abuse. So what can we do to combat this harmful rhetoric? Joining us for this conversation is Dr. Kathryn Lowe. She is a pediatrician on the executive committee of the Section on LGBT Health and Wellness with the AAP. She is also an author of the new book called You-ology: A Puberty Guide for Every Body, published by the AAP, which is a gender-inclusive book about puberty for all kids.

Transgender, Gender Diverse, Non-Binary, Cisgender.  Transgender, Gender Diverse, Non-Binary, Cisgender. There are a lot of new words to describe sexual identity and presentation especially if your child is figuring out who they are, and this may be new to you. So today we've brought in Dr. Ilana Sherer to break down some of these terms and answer some common questions on gender and more. Dr. Ilana Sherer has a general pediatrics practice in Dublin, California at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation/Sutter Health with a specialty in caring for gender-nonconforming and transgender youth. She is also a member of the AAP Section on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health and Wellness.

Human milk has been shared since the olden days. Informal milk sharing takes place when one mother has a surplus of breast milk and another has a need. These moms get together so their babies both receive sufficient nourishment. Formal milk sharing or milk banking takes place when moms donate their surplus breast milk to a profit or non-profit agency. That agency then screens, pasteurizes, and distributes the milk. With informal milk sharing, there are some risks. The health of the donors is the primary concern. Moms should be in good health after a healthy pregnancy. Blood testing is valuable to prevent the passing of hepatitis B or C or HIV. Current eating habits, smoking, and alcohol consumption are also concerns. Toxin exposure, regular medications, and supplements are good to know. How is the milk expressed and stored? The milk should contain no additives (like cow’s milk) or be watered down. You want your baby to have the safest, best possible sustenance. If you are considering informal milk sharing, an in-person conversation with the donor mother should help you assess her fit as a donor for your child. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has a policy statement for pre-term infants in a hospital setting, strongly endorsing the use of pasteurized donor milk. There isn't currently a policy statement regarding informal milk sharing for healthy infants in the home setting. The AAP doesn’t currently endorse the practice, but it is common. You should discuss it with your pediatrician if you are considering participation in informal milk sharing. High-risk infants have an immature immune system and are at high risk for infection. Pre-term infants should stick to pasteurized donor milk from a milk bank where donors are screened. Listen as Dr. Margaret Parker and Dr. Michelle Brenner join Melanie Cole, MS in this encore episode from 2018, to share their best advice for milk sharing.

accidental overdose, what to do if they do get into your edible stash, and how to talk to teens about marijuanaIt’s imperative to encourage reading in your family. Reading to your young child can boost vocabulary and reading skills before entering school. Cultivating a love of reading in your older children can open up a world of imagination and opportunity. Time spent reading with your infant is actually conversation time. You can still read the words in the board book but interact with your child by talking about the pictures. Make time to read as a family. Younger children will enjoy the tale. Look up information about topics with older children to learn more about the story. Build excitement for reading by taking your child to get a library card. Encourage older children to belong to a book club. Share books that are meaningful to you so you can discuss them. Make reading important in your home. Listen as Dr. Corinn Cross joins Melanie Cole, MS in this encore episode from August 2017, to share how you can create lifelong readers.

It’s imperative to encourage reading in your family.It’s imperative to encourage reading in your family. Reading to your young child can boost vocabulary and reading skills before entering school. Cultivating a love of reading in your older children can open up a world of imagination and opportunity. Time spent reading with your infant is actually conversation time. You can still read the words in the board book but interact with your child by talking about the pictures. Make time to read as a family. Younger children will enjoy the tale. Look up information about topics with older children to learn more about the story. Build excitement for reading by taking your child to get a library card. Encourage older children to belong to a book club. Share books that are meaningful to you so you can discuss them. Make reading important in your home. Listen as Dr. Corinn Cross joins Melanie Cole, MS in this encore episode from August 2017, to share how you can create lifelong readers.

The CDC released its latest numbers in a report on autism in December of 2021.The CDC released its latest numbers in a report on autism in December of 2021. An estimated 1 in 44, 8-year-old children have been identified with autism according to an analysis of 2018 data. This is higher than the previous estimate published in March 2020. We are discussing these findings today including racial and ethnic disparities in autism, and early identification with Dr. Kristin Sohl. Dr. Sohl chairs the AAP subcommittee on autism as part of the Council on Children with Disabilities and is a pediatrician with extensive experience in medical diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of children with a concern of autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

Herbal supplements worked for your friend's kid, but should you give them to your child?Parents want to help kids feel great. Many look to herbal supplements to aid health and performance. How do you know these supplements are safe? First, the health supplement industry is not regulated. They could potentially be contaminated with something unsafe. There can also be potency irregularities on the shelf. However, many companies self-regulate. Check the label for evidence of screening by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP). This means it isn’t contaminated and potency matches the label. Additionally, tell your providers what products you’re giving your child. Some herbal products react poorly to medications. Your provider can prescribe medications with full awareness of your child’s supplements. A healthy diet and enough sleep go a long way to support your child’s wellness. For children on antibiotics, probiotics can nurture good bacteria. Start probiotics at the same time you begin antibiotic treatment. Zinc reduces the duration of respiratory symptoms by three to four days. Start zinc within 24 to 48 hours of the start of infection. It can cause the loss of a sense of smell in some people, so zinc supplements are not recommended on a regular basis. Fish oils or omega-3s are often lacking in the foods we eat. They promote better mental health and can support the efficacy of psychiatric medication. Be wary of anecdotal recommendations. Just because it worked for your friend doesn’t mean it will work for you. Listen as Dr. Cora Breuner joins Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss which supplements you can share with your child and when, and which supplements it’s better to avoid in this encore episode from November 2018.