Charting Pediatrics

Before the Friday night lights and before the season even begins, there's one appointment that can determine athletic eligibility: the pre-participation sports physical. For pediatricians, it's often treated like a checkbox but in reality, it's a powerful clinical moment. Sometimes it is the one chance to catch something that can change a life. In this episode, we explore how to turn the pre-participation physical from paperwork into prevention. We'll break down what really matters in the sports physical, what red flags to watch for and how to use this visit to protect young athletes and support families.

Kristina Wilson, MD, and Nate Howell, MD, join us for this episode. Dr. Wilson is the Medical Director of the Sports Medicine Center at Children's Hospital Colorado and an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Dr. Howell specializes in primary care sports medicine and is also an Assistant Professor.

Some highlights from this episode include:

• Current guidelines and recommendations for the sports pre-participation physical
• Why history matters during this exam
• How to handle the same day "I need this form signed now" visit
• How to best conduct this during a routine checkup

For more information on Children's Colorado, visit: childrenscolorado.org.

GLP-1 medications have become an important part of adult obesity treatment and are now increasingly relevant in pediatric care. As new approvals emerge and clinical guidance continues to evolve, pediatricians are being asked to consider when, and for whom, these therapies may be appropriate. In this episode, we review the current evidence, discuss clinical considerations and examine the evolving role of GLP-1 medications in child and adolescents.

Megan Kelsey, MD, is the medical director of both lifestyle medicine and adolescent bariatric surgery. Jaime Moore, MD, specializes in pediatric nutrition and obesity medicine. Both Drs. Moore and Kelsey are on the faculty here at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Some highlights from this episode include:

• How GLP-1s are changing lives for kids with obesity
• Learning how they work and are administered
• The average effect of these medications
• The future of use as access to these medications becomes easier

Below are some resources mentioned in this episode:

• Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight
• University of Minnesota: Virtual Advanced Therapies for Pediatric Obesity Conference

For more information on Children's Colorado, visit: childrenscolorado.org.

Circumcision is one of the most common procedures performed in newborns. For such a frequent procedure, it can stir up big conversations in the primary care office. How do you help families make informed decisions? What technique details really matter? What's the role of the pediatrician when something doesn't look quite right in the days that follow? In this episode, we're unpacking the real-world essentials of circumcision in primary care from evidence-based counseling to timing, pain control, and navigating those questionable moments.

Kelly Harris, MD, and Brian Caldwell, MD, both specialize in urology at Children's Hospital Colorado. Dr. Harris is an assistant professor, and Dr. Caldwell is an associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine

Some highlights from this episode include:

• How common circumcision is today
• Why the decision is very individualized to each family
• How pediatricians can support families in this decision-making process
• Most common side effects

For more information on Children's Colorado, visit: childrenscolorado.org.

A growth charts tell a story long before a child can. A sudden dip, a stubborn plateau, a pubertal spurt that arrives too early, or too late, can spark big questions. From short stature to rapid puberty, it's time to unpack the patterns, pitfalls and possibilities behind pediatric growth. We want to help you sort the reassuring from the concerning and recognize when an endocrinology referral can truly change the trajectory.

Animesh Sharma, MD, specializes in endocrinology at Children's Hospital Colorado, and is an assistant professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Some highlights from this episode include:

• The most common growth concerns in primary care
• How to identify a growth concern when patients are younger
• What workups should be included when referring a patient to endocrinology
• Understanding the layers of growth and how to calm parents' nerves

For more information on Children's Colorado, visit: childrenscolorado.org.

When addressing obesity in the clinic, it's common to ask patients to focus on food and exercise. But what if we think upstream of the clinical problem and consider the environments, habits and systems that shape health from the very beginning? In this episode, we sit down with an expert whose research has focused on building resilience against obesity starting early in life. From family dynamics to school and community initiatives, the picture of prevention is complex.

Shari Barkin, MD, is the Pediatrician in Chief at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. She is also the Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, Executive Director of the Pediatric Institute, and the George W. Brumley Jr. Endowed Professor of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine.

Some highlights from this episode include:

• How to influence eating behaviors in the first six months of life
• The role of community involvement and partnerships in preventing childhood obesity
• Translating research into practical strategies
• Strong communication methods to engage families successfully

This episode is underwritten by Ovintiv, a proud philanthropic supporter of Charting Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation. Ovintiv recognizes that their responsibility begins in the communities where they live and work. They are committed to giving back and building safer and more resilient communities. Ovintiv's generous support has made a monumental difference for our patients and families, from enhancing health outcomes to reducing health disparities.

For more information on Children's Colorado, visit: childrenscolorado.org.

Joint pain is a common concern in pediatric practice. If a child is limping after sports or describes vague aches and pains, it often points to a minor injury or a self-limited condition. But in some cases, joint pain may signal something more serious. The challenge for pediatricians is knowing how to distinguish benign, mechanical causes from symptoms that warrant further evaluation. In this episode, we explain how to identify red herrings versus true red flags in pediatric joint pain. While awaiting a rheumatology referral, we'll talk about what primary care pediatricians can do in the meantime to support children and families facing the possibility of arthritis.

This episode was recorded on the exhibit floor at the 2025 American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference in Denver, Colorado. Angela Chun, MD, is the associate program director for the Division of Rheumatology at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. She is also an assistant professor at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Some highlights from this episode include:

• The most common reasons for joint pain in children
• Understanding juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and how it presents
• Common pitfalls that may lead to misdiagnosis
• What providers can do in their offices before a referral

For more information on Children's Colorado, visit: childrenscolorado.org.

Anxiety in children can serve as a safeguard or become profoundly disruptive. For pediatricians, distinguishing between developmentally appropriate worry, generalized anxiety disorder and clinically significant anxiety is rarely straightforward. In this episode, we explore how anxiety presents across childhood, why it is more than "just nerves" and how pediatricians can play a key role in early identification and support.

Benjamin Mullin, PhD, is the lead psychologist of the Colorado OCD and Anxiety Program (COAP) at Children's Hospital Colorado, as well as an associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He is also the Leslie and William Vollbracht Family Chair in Stress and Anxiety Disorders.

Some highlights from this episode include:

• The realities of anxiety in kids
• When treatment is appropriate and when to refer
• Helping families understand anxiety without stigmatizing or minimizing their children's experience
• Strategies that work for long-term management

For more information on Children's Colorado, visit: childrenscolorado.org.

From a newborn's first trip home to the day a teenager buckles into the driver's seat, car rides are milestones throughout childhood. Between those moments lie years of transition: rear-facing to forward-facing seats, boosters to seat belts, and countless opportunities for confusion, error and learning. This episode breaks down the latest recommendations in child passenger safety, addresses common misconceptions, and offers practical guidance pediatricians can use to help families keep children safe at every stage.

This episode was recorded on the exhibit floor of the 2025 American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference in Denver, Colorado. Meghan Beucher, MD, is an assistant professor of emergency medicine and pediatrics, as well as a trained child passenger safety technician instructor, with Hasbro Children's Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Raquel Denis, MD, is an assistant professor of pediatrics at Prisma Health and the University of South Carolina, as well as a child passenger safety technician.

Some highlights from this episode include:

• When to switch from rear facing to forward facing seats
• Why medical guidance can differ from local laws
• How to best support families unfamiliar with car seat safety
• Why recommendations have changed in recent years

For more information on Children's Colorado, visit: childrenscolorado.org.

In pediatric practice, few topics are as foundational and scientifically grounded as vaccinations. This season, a major shift in federal vaccine advisory guidance has sparked fresh discussion about how we protect infants from hepatitis B. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention's advisory committee on immunization practices voted to revise the more than 30-year guidance around the universal birth-dose of the Hepatitis B vaccine. In this episode, our goal is to provide clarity for clinicians on the best vaccination approach for our youngest patients.

For this important discussion, we are joined by Sean O'Leary, MD, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Children's Colorado, as well as a professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He is also chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Infectious Diseases, otherwise known as the Red Book Committee.

Some highlights from this episode include:

• The history of hepatitis B infection in children in the U.S.
• Why the birth dose has been such a critical part of prevention
• Breaking down the recent decision by the CDC advisory committee
• Recommendations for this vaccine moving forward

For more information on Children's Colorado, visit: childrenscolorado.org.

Food is more than fuel. Its culture, comfort, connection and, increasingly, a source of confusion for families. Parents ask questions shaped by headlines, influencers and evolving dietary guidelines. Pediatricians aren't simply monitoring growth curves, they are helping families navigate a complex nutrition environment that influences children's health now and long into adulthood. In this episode, we explore how to navigate today's dietary landscape with clarity, compassion and evidence-based tools you can use in everyday practice, highlighting the importance of healthy eating.

This episode was recorded on the exhibit floor at the 2025 American Academy of Pediatrics Conference in Denver, Colorado. Praveen Goday, MD, is a gastroenterologist at Nationwide Children's Hospital, as well as the director of their nutrition and feeding programs. He is also a clinical professor at Ohio State University.

Some highlights from this episode include:

• The current dietary landscape and the role of outside influences
• How the idea of health has changed throughout the years
• What best practices parents can use to positively influence their children
• Hopes for the future of nutrition

For more information on Children's Colorado, visit: childrenscolorado.org.