Charm City Checkup

Join us (new hosts Emily and Artie) as we dive into all things back-to-school: school forms, sports physicals, flu shots, oh my!

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Low cost sports physicals: https://www.bcps.org/dos/department_of_health_services/physical_examinations
• Free vaccine clinics (Baltimore City): https://www.baltimorecity.gov/health/our-work/maternal-and-child-health/immunization-program & Shepherd's Clinic on Kirk Avenue (https://shepherdsclinic.org/vaccines, 410-467-7140)
• Free vaccine clinics (Baltimore County): https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/departments/health/health-services/free-flu-shots

Sources used for this episode:

• Committee on Infectious Diseases; Recommendations for Prevention and Control of Influenza in Children, 2025–2026: Policy Statement. Pediatrics December 2025; 156 (6): e2025073620. 10.1542/peds.2025-073620
• Grohskopf LA, Blanton LH, Ferdinands JM, Reed C, Dugan VG, Daskalakis DC. Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, 2025–26 Influenza Season. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2025;74:500–507. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7432a2
• https://cdc.gov/flu/hcp/vax-summary/acip-recommendations.html
• https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season.html
• https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/measures/flu_vaccine
• https://www.cdc.gov/flu-vaccines-work/benefits/index.html

On this episode, I (Janie) pass the baton to Charm City Checkup new hosts!

On this episode, we discuss BCPS student attendance with School Board Commissioner Mr. Larry C. Simmons.

On today's episode, we talk with Dr. Okolie about perinatal-neonatal medicine. We learn about neonatal and infant morbidity and mortality rates and seen racial discrepancies in the data. Dr. Okolie also shares her experiences and how that wisdom has molded her into the neonatologist that she is today!

On this episode, we talk about parental burnout with Dr. Rebecca Carter. Dr. Carter is the Division Head and Director for Community Outreach and Engagement for the Division of General Pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Take a listen and learn about how we, as pediatricians, can help the families we serve!

Resources:

1. https://www.familytreemd.org/classes/
2. https://md.onlineparentingprograms.com/
3. https://www.gbmc.org/services/parent-education
4. Bogdán, P. M., Varga, K., Tóth, L., Gróf, K., & Pakai, A. (2025). Parental Burnout: A Progressive Condition Potentially Compromising Family Well-Being-A Narrative Review. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 13(13), 1603. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13131603
5. Yu, J. A., Henderson, C., Cook, S., & Ray, K. (2020). Family Caregivers of Children With Medical Complexity: Health-Related Quality of Life and Experiences of Care Coordination. Academic pediatrics, 20(8), 1116–1123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2020.06.014

This is a short episode discussing winter weather safety! All resources used and links discussed in this episode are listed below. Charm City, please stay warm and safe during these cold temperatures!

https://health.baltimorecity.gov/emergency-preparedness-response/code-blue

https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/atg/PDF_s/Preparedness___Disaster_Recovery/Disaster_Preparedness/Terrorism/shelterinplace.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOoqjtZKuWdcrPP-wH7bkiCprG6AgAVA5IgPWA3HC_86TglS3-p-H

https://homeless.baltimorecity.gov/winter-shelter#:~:text=MOHS%20will%20provide%20extended%20emergency,%2C%20to%20March%2031%2C%202025.

https://sa-md.org/centralmaryland/feedmore?random=292

https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/disasters-and-children/disaster-management-resources-by-topic/family-separation-and-reunification-in-disasters/

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/Family-Disaster-Supplies-List.aspx?_gl=1*fak4rf*_ga*MzQ4NDk4MDU3LjE2ODg2NTIzMTM.*_ga_FD9D3XZVQQ*czE3Njk3OTcxNzkkbzc0JGcxJHQxNzY5Nzk3Mjg3JGo2MCRsMCRoMA

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Winter-Safety.aspx

This brief episode covers Reading Partners and other reading resources available in Charm City. It is a short overview of organizations and free opportunities available to help children who are having difficulties with reading. This short listen is a great way to learn about local literacy resources and how we can support our families with educational resources.

Resources

Khan Academy for Kids

Scholastic Learn at Home

Legends of Learning | Free math and science games 

Authors Everywhere!

Storytime From Space

International Children’s Digital Library

Global Storybooks

https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/subject/publications/dst2024/pdf/2024220XM4.pdf

https://marylandpublicschools.org/programs/Documents/ELA/ReadingDifficulties/Annual-LEA-Data-Report-2023-2024-A.pdf 

https://cityschools2013.sharepoint.com/:w:/s/curriculum/Literacy/ETum7yyZZhpCrX6BFvhpiYYBVTSXKCNBGGASQrWRzIBIJQ?rtime=J6GWzQgY3kg 

https://marylandreads.org/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22498018542&gbraid=0AAAAA9Vl1F43MSsUKRGYn3l-UxNvElrwf&gclid=Cj0KCQjwmYzIBhC6ARIsAHA3IkR1mEt74SxgydklNb_bIgN9tZvtSQtQA5N7O9gxKDJLf61f7WSWw_AaAhqgEALw_wcB 

https://marylandreads.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/MDStateofReading2025.pdf

https://www.kennedykrieger.org/patient-care/centers-and-programs/read-imagine-grow/low-cost-free-resources 

On this episode, we speak with the renowned Dr. James Campbell, a trailblazer in Pediatric Infectious Diseases. We discuss vaccine hesitancy, available resources for families and providers, and how we can better inform ourselves to have these conversations with our patient families. This is an episode you MUST listen to, and you will not regret it!

Updated August 2025 AAP Vaccine Schedule: https://publications.aap.org/redbook/resources/15585/AAP-Immunization-Schedule

Motivational Interviewing: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8200683/

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP): https://www.cdc.gov/acip/index.html

On this episode, we speak with Dr. Dawan King, a pediatrician with Mercy Family Care Physicians at Mercy Medical Center in Downtown Baltimore. Dr. King has been named "Top Doctor" by Baltimore Magazine and has served Charm City's children for over 20 years. We delve into Dr. King's experience as a pediatrician in Charm City and discuss ways to navigate challenging health topics with our patients and their families.

This episode is not our typical Charm City Check Up! It is a brief talk about safe sex and how we can best care for and educate our adolescent patients. I share information about sexually transmitted diseases and infections (STD/STI) statistics, and some resources that we have in our Charm City.

The Maryland Dept of Health:  https://health.baltimorecity.gov/node/93

Druid Sexual Health and Wellness Clinic (West Side)

1515 W. North Ave. 

Tuesday and Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

(410) 396- 0176

Eastern Sexual Health and Wellness Clinic (East Side)

1200 E. Fayette St.

Monday and Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

(410) 396-9410

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF): https://www.freestdcheck.org/ 

2510 St. Paul St.

Tuesday: 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Thursday: 1:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

University of Maryland Adolescent & Young Adult Center

120 Penn St, Baltimore, MD 21201

Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

 410-328-8336