Kids’ Health Uncomplicated

Managing a complex medical diagnosis requires balancing long-term care with the freedom every child deserves. In this episode of Kids’ Health Uncomplicated, Dr. Patty Manning talks with parent Hillary Weidner about the reality of life after a liver transplant. They discuss how to navigate pediatric health communication, specifically identifying when your child is ready to learn about their condition. Often, the best sign is when they start asking direct questions about their own blood work or daily treatments.

Beyond medical management, this conversation covers the importance of encouraging normal childhood milestones, like attending sleepaway camp, even while navigating a chronic condition. Hillary also shares her experience with organ donation advocacy and fundraising to support the hospital that helped her family. Understanding these nuances helps parents feel more informed and prepared as they support their child’s health journey.

Timestamps

0:00 Navigating the Early Days of a Diagnosis

Watch the full episode of Kids’ Health Uncomplicated on our channel for more guidance. Subscribe for weekly updates on supporting your child’s health journey. 

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About Kids Health Uncomplicated

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

Caring for infants to adolescents, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is an international leader in pediatric medicine, research and education.

A childhood cancer diagnosis is every parent's worst nightmare. What happens next? How do families cope? And how can they find hope during one of the most difficult experiences of their lives?

In this episode of Kids' Health Uncomplicated, host Dr. Patty Manning sits down with clinical psychologist Dr. Melissa Young to discuss youth suicide prevention, warning signs parents should know, and how to have difficult but potentially life-saving conversations with children and teens. Dr. Young explains why asking directly about suicide does not put the idea into a child's head, how parents can recognize changes in behavior that may signal a struggle, and practical steps families can take to create a safer environment during a mental health crisis. Whether you're a parent, caregiver, educator, or trusted adult, this episode offers compassionate guidance for supporting young people through difficult moments. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 

Kids' Health Uncomplicated is a podcast from Cincinnati Children's designed to make pediatric health topics easier to understand through real conversations with trusted experts. Kids' Health Uncomplicated is intended for informational and educational purposes only. 

🎧 New episodes release every other Tuesday. 

📺 Watch full episodes on YouTube @CincinnatiChildrens 

🔔 Subscribe for trusted pediatric advice, parenting support, and real answers without the overwhelm.

In this episode of Kids' Health, Uncomplicated, Dr. Patty Manning discusses how new parents can advocate for their baby without fearing they’re overreacting, joined by Dr. Nick DeBlasio, a pediatrician at Cincinnati Children’s who also trains residents. He emphasizes that parents should feel comfortable asking any question and should call when concerned, especially for newborn breathing issues, color changes during feeding, or fever. Dr. DeBlasio explains that for babies 60 days or younger, a rectal temperature of 100.4°F or higher is a medical emergency and requires an immediate call day or night. The conversation also covers when to message vs schedule an in-person visit, common but alarming-looking newborn findings (periodic breathing, breast buds, newborn vaginal discharge, erythema toxicum), trusting parental instincts when something seems “off,” and myths about internet searching, calling too much, and sharing baby photos.

Kids' Health Uncomplicated is a podcast from Cincinnati Children's designed to make pediatric health topics easier to understand through real conversations with trusted experts. 

Kids' Health Uncomplicated is intended for informational and educational purposes only. 

🎧 New episodes release every other Tuesday. 

📺 Watch full episodes on YouTube @CincinnatiChildrens 

🔔 Subscribe for trusted pediatric advice, parenting support, and real answers without the overwhelm. 

#PediatricEmergency #ERvsUrgentCare #KidsHealth #ParentingAdvice #ParentingPodcast #ChildrensHealth #PediatricCare #CincinnatiChildrens #KidsHealthUncomplicated

When your child is sick or hurt and it's nine o'clock at night, how do you decide where to go? The emergency room? Urgent care? Or can it wait until morning? For most parents, that moment of uncertainty is one of the hardest parts of raising kids — and making the wrong call can feel terrifying.

Back-to-school season can bring excitement, stress, and a lot of questions for both kids and parents. Whether your child is starting kindergarten, transitioning to a new school, or feeling nervous about a new teacher, the return to school can be a big adjustment for the whole family.

In this episode of Kids' Health Uncomplicated, host Dr. Patty Manning sits down with Cincinnati Children's psychologist Dr. Melissa Foti-Hoff to discuss how families can help children feel confident, prepared, and ready for a successful school year. Drawing from years of experience working directly with students, teachers, and school staff, Dr. Foti-Hoff shares practical strategies for managing back-to-school anxiety, building school readiness skills, and helping kids navigate big transitions.

From sleep schedules and school routines to handling worries and building confidence, this conversation offers practical guidance for parents who want to set their children up for success both inside and outside the classroom.

You'll learn:

• How to recognize signs of back-to-school anxiety in children

• Ways to help kids adjust to new schools, teachers, and routines

• Why school readiness is about more than academics

• Simple ways to practice important skills like waiting, taking turns, and asking for help

• How parents can avoid unintentionally passing their own anxiety onto their children

• What to do when a teacher raises concerns about learning, behavior, or school performance

• Why sleep may be one of the most important back-to-school tools for success

In this Kids Health Uncomplicated episode from Cincinnati Children’s, host Dr. Patty Manning talks with general pediatrician Dr. Nick DeBlasio about what to expect with newborn sleep and feeding in the first 90 days. They normalize how difficult the newborn period is and discuss common concerns that are often normal, including spitting up (usually a “laundry problem”) and wide variation in stooling patterns, while emphasizing that adequate wet diapers and weight gain are key signs a baby is getting enough.

They share practical sleep expectations, tips for day/night confusion, and the value of splitting nighttime duties and accepting help. Red flags include forceful vomiting, poor weight gain, fewer wet diapers, back-arching with spit-up, bloody stools, and excessive sleepiness or difficulty arousing. They also caution against data-overload tracking and close with myths and facts about sleeping through the night and feeding cues.

In this episode of Cincinnati Children’s Kids Health Uncomplicated, host Dr. Patty Manning talks with parent and disability-housing advocate Emily Kendall about what she wishes families knew sooner when a child’s health journey takes an unexpected turn. Emily shares her family’s story, including a premature daughter, a son born with Down syndrome and Hirschsprung’s disease who required early surgery and an ileostomy, and a youngest child later diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

They discuss releasing rigid expectations, moving through grief, and trusting that parents can learn complex care skills over time. Emily highlights helpful resources such as the Down Syndrome Association, Child Life, integrative medicine, financial assistance, DDBP, the Thomas Center, lactation support, and hospital play spaces, and emphasizes asking specifically for community help, advocating for your child, and balancing future planning with enjoying today.

Safe sleep is one of the most critical topics for families bringing home a newborn. This episode of the Kids Health Uncomplicated podcast focuses on actionable steps you can take to reduce risks and promote better sleep habits for your infant.

New parenthood can bring excitement, joy — and a lot of anxiety. In this episode of Kids’ Health Uncomplicated, Dr. Patty Manning sits down with Dr. Nick DeBlasio to discuss the common fears and pressures many new parents experience. From sleep concerns and feeding questions to knowing when to call the doctor, Dr. DeBlasio offers practical guidance, reassurance, and perspective for navigating the early stages of parenting with more confidence.

New Parent Anxiety, Uncomplicated is intended for informational and educational purposes only.