May is mental health awareness month, we are revisiting old episodes on child mental health. Including this episode on separation anxiety- one of our very first podcast episodes from 2018!

Separation anxiety is extremely common in infants and young children. With separation anxiety comes significant distress for parents and caregivers. Is there anything parents can do to help reduce their child’s distress when separating? Will a child grow out of this behavior? How long does it typically last? When should a parent get worried if their child’s anxiety seems unrelenting? All of these issues and more are discussed during this episode.

This episode written by Dr. Lena van der List and Dr. Dean Blumberg.

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  Childhood Grief

May is mental health awareness month. This month, we are revisiting past episodes on pediatric mental health. 

In this episode, we are joined by Emily McDaniel — a certified child life specialist at UC Davis Children’s Hospital —in the discussion of grief after the death of a loved one. While death may be a difficult concept to talk about with children, it is important to consider the developmental stage of your child and to make sure you have the support of a partner in the discussion. It is important to be open with your child and reassure them that it is okay to be emotional during this time. We share some tips on how you can prepare your child for what to expect after a death, help your child memorialize their loved ones, and signs to look out for that may mean they need extra support from professionals. Be sure to tune in to learn about grief and how to help your children through the process. 

This episode was written by Emily McDaniel, Dr. Dean Blumberg, Dr. Lena van der List & Abby Michalak.

We thank Emily McDaniel, MA, CCLS, RWWP, Child Life Specialist at the UC Davis Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department, for joining us for this episode, although Drs. Dean and Lena take full responsibility for any errors or misinformation.

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Photo from Healthy Children

May is mental health awareness month. This month we revisit past episodes on mental health, in this episode reviewing teen anxiety.

Anxiety is the most common mental health disorder diagnosed in childhood. And there are many different types of anxiety disorders. In this podcast we discuss generalized anxiety and panic disorder in teens. Including what behaviors are suggestive of anxiety, how its diagnosed, and why cognitive behavioral therapy is so effective for re-framing anxious feelings and behaviors.

This episode written by Drs. Lena van der List and Dean Blumberg.

We thank Dr. Dawn Blacker, psychologist at the UC Davis CAARE Diagnostic and Treatment Center, for reviewing this episode, although Drs. Lena and Dean take full responsibility for any errors or misinformation.

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Photo from Medical Daily

May is mental health awareness month. This month we are revisiting past episodes on mental health. In this episode we review depression in teens. 

Depression is very common in teens, with just over 1 in 10 teens experiencing a major depressive episode during this time. Sadly, suicide is now the 2nd leading cause of death in this age group. In this podcast we discuss the importance of identifying depression in teens. What signs to look out for and the steps to receiving a diagnosis. We review treatment options including therapy and medications and how to respond if your teen is having thoughts or feelings of suicide.

This episode written by Drs. Lena van der List and Dean Blumberg.

We would like to thank Dr. Melissa Hopkins, child psychiatrist at UC Davis Children’s Hospital for reviewing this episode, although Drs. Dean and Lena take full responsibility for any errors or misinformation.

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Photo from LifeWay

In this episode we bring attention to a potentially life saving drug. The FDA recently approved the opioid reversal agent Naloxone (Narcan) nasal spray to be made available over the counter without a prescription. In this podcast we talk with Dr. Daniel Colby, an emergency and addiction medicine physician, about the dangers of opioid misuse, what opioids are, how to recognize an overdose and how and when to administer this life saving medication.

This episode was written by Dr. Lena van der List, Dr. Dean Blumberg & Daniel Colby. 

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Photo from health.osu.edu

This episode reviews atopic dermatitis, more commonly known as eczema! Eczema is a very common skin condition in children. Eczema presents as dry, scaly patches of skin that are itchy. While eczema has a genetic component to it, it can also commonly be caused by triggers including hot or cold weather, pet dander, wool, strong fragrances and many others. The most effective way to treat and prevent eczema flare ups is by moisturizing! We also discuss topical steroids and other common treatments. Be sure to listen to learn more about causes, characteristic features, common triggers, and importantly how to treat it.

This episode was written by Dr. Lena van der List, Dr. Dean Blumberg & Abby Michalak. We would like to thank Dr. Smita Awasthi, a pediatric dermatologist at UC Davis for reviewing this episode. 

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Photo from healthychildren.org

In today’s podcast we talk to Dr. Sara Aghamohammadi, a pediatric intensivist and chief wellness officer at UC Davis Health. We discuss burnout, and how to recognize when this may be occurring in your own career. We talk about wellness and what strategies actually work to combat burnout. We contemplate self care, including Dr. Sara’s journey to finding her love of improv comedy…and test out our own improv skills! 

We would like to thank Dr. Sara Aghamohammadi, pediatric intensivist and chief wellness officer for joining us for this episode. 

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Photo from jimmycarrane.com

In this episode, we talk with patient safety advocate Dr. Ulfat Shaikh about preventing home medication errors. We review the common ways mistakes are made, some of the most common medications that can lead to errors in administration and how to avoid an error with your child. We emphasize the importance of reviewing all the medications a child takes, both prescription as well as over the counter, at each doctors visit. We also discuss the challenges of liquid medications- and why you should never measure medication in a household spoon! Tune in for this safety spotlight! 

This episode was written by Dr. Ulfat Shaikh, Lena van der List and Dean Blumberg

We would like to thank Dr. Ulfat Shaikh, a general pediatrician at UC Davis and the chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Council on Quality Improvement and Patient Safety for joining us for this episode. 

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Photo from HealthyChildren.org

In this episode, we talk to Keaton’s Cancer Alliance about pediatric cancer. Unfortunately, 1 in 285 individuals will be diagnosed with cancer before the age of 20 and cancer remains the leading cause of death by disease in children. We review the most common types of pediatric cancer and presenting symptoms. We also review the different work-ups and various treatment regimens. 

We talk to Jessica Alonso, the executive director at Keaton’s about the immense emotional, physical and financial toll on a family after receiving a cancer diagnosis. We discuss how families process a new cancer diagnosis and how we can best support families going through this challenging period. We also review some of the amazing services offered in our region to families of children with pediatric cancer. 

We would like to thank Keaton’s Child Cancer Alliance for joining us congratulate the organization on their 25th anniversary. 

In this episode we talk with Dr. Pritha Multani about chronic pain. Chronic pain is defined as pain in one part of the body that lasts for longer than 3 months. Up to 1 in 4 children will experience an episode of chronic pain. We discuss how trauma can double the risk of a child having chronic pain and review the most common locations of prolonged pain in children. We also discuss non-pharmacologic evidence-based strategies for reducing chronic pain including meditation, therapy, exercise and daily doses of joy and play. Be sure to listen to the full episode to learn more! 

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