KidzDocTalk

This episode covers the following topics:

• The difference between a child psychiatrist and a child psychologist
• Outpatient settings vs in hospital
• Biopsychosocial model (the interconnection between biology, psychology and socio-environmental factors) and how each plays a role in children's health and development
• Strategies caregivers/parents can use to recognize mental health disorders in children and what to look for
• Normal variants vs. what needs attention
• What to bring up at your child's next pediatrician appointment
• Treatment options
• Brain behaviors when mental health disorders go untreated
• Parental hesitation
• How genetics play a role in mental health and the impact of parents own mental health on children
• Building up children's self esteem
• Mindfulness
• Psychotherapy
• Specific & General Anxiety Disorders
• Depression
• ADHD (Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder)

About this episode's guest:

Dr. Sarah Dienstag Becker, MD is the co-chief fellow of child and adolescent psychiatry at Zucker Hillside Hospital at Northwell Health in Long Island, NY. She completed her medical training at Albert Einstein College of Medicine where she was selected to join the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honors Society. Dr.  Becker completed her training in adult psychiatry at Montefiore Medical Center. She also received a degree in pedagogy from the Ministry of Education in Israel after completing her studies at Beth Jacob of Jerusalem.  Her clinician interests include the treatment and management of eating disorders. 

This episode covers:

-symptoms & signs of Covid in the emergency department

-Reasons children are being hospitalized with Covid

-Treatment length (time spent hospitalized)

-Hospitalization treatment for Covid patients

-Demographics of children & teens being admitted with Covid

-Current inpatient admissions vs in 2020

-Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)

About Dr. Angelique Martinez:

Dr. Angelique Martinez is the medical director of the pediatric hospitalist group at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.  She graduated from Eastern Virginia Medical School and completed her pediatric residency at the University of South Florida.  She has been a hospitalist at JDCH since 2008.  She enjoys traveling, reading, and watching her sons play sports.   She and Dr. Berkovich actually exchange book reading recommendations!  

This episode covers:

-Changes in diabetes linked to Covid-19

-Childhood obesity

-Growth Disorders

-When parents should start looking for signs and symptoms of diabetes

-Increased rates in Type 2 diabetes

-Screenings pediatricians can do and treatment once diagnosed

-New treatments in endocrinology

-Insulin resistance

-Growth percentile normalities & abnormalities

-Delayed and early puberty evaluations to expect at the pediatrician's office 

-and more! 

About Dr. Sarah Hart-Unger:

Sarah Hart-Unger MD is a board-certified pediatric endocrinologist who also serves as pediatrics residency program director.  She completed her training from medical school through fellowship at Duke University School of Medicine and has been practicing at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital since 2013.  Her favorite thing about pediatric endocrinology is getting to know patients and families well through years of care.  In her free time, she enjoys podcasting of her own (cohosts a podcast called Best of Both Worlds about making work and life fit together) and spending time with her husband and 3 children.  

Best of Both Worlds: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/best-of-both-worlds-podcast/id1273625203​ 

This episode covers:

• Recognizing signs of depression in teens and children and what to watch for
• Why it's important to keep up with your child's well visits 
• Recommended treatment options (moderate to severe)
• Tools, counseling, medications and when to see a behavioral specialist 
• How to support children returning to in-person learning & navigating social skills/interactions
• Getting kids readjusted to social settings and desensitizing from being isolated (sports and extra curriculars) 
• The importance of keeping an open mind and having open discussions with your children

About Steven Abelowitz, M.D., F.A.A.P

Medical Director at Coastal Kids in Orange County, CA

Coastal Kids is part of Pediatric Associates' family of practices.

Dr. Steven Abelowitz, M.D. FAAP, is board certified in pediatric medicine and has been practicing for over 20 years. Dr. Abelowitz serves as Regional Medical Director of Coastal Kids pediatric medical group. 

Dr. Abelowitz completed his pediatric internship and residency at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center, where he received multiple commendations and was awarded “Resident of the Year”. He received his medical degree at the Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, graduating at the top of his class. After establishing Newport Children’s Medical Group and serving as Medical Director for three years, Dr. Abelowitz founded Coastal Kids, Orange County’s premier pediatric medical group.

As Medical Director of Coastal Kids, Dr. Abelowitz was voted one of the “Top Doctors Across America” by his peers and was the first pediatrician to be voted “Doctor of the Month” by the staff at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian. He was nominated multiple times as chair of the pediatric department at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian and served as physician liaison to the newborn nursery. Dr. Abelowitz is an acknowledged expert on pediatric healthcare and medicine, primary children’s healthcare, preventative care, nutrition, growth, and development. He has served as Area Representative for the American Academy of Pediatrics and has received “Top Doctor Award for Physicians of Excellence” by the Orange County Medical Association (OCMA) for the past several years, as seen in Orange Coast Magazine.

Dr. Abelowitz has shared his expertise with nationally recognized parenting and family health publications and was featured as a pediatric expert on KABC-TV, consumer report, MSNBC the Dr. Nancy show, KCBS-TV, and KCAL-TV. He has acted as an “Ask the doctors” columnist for the Orange County Register. He is fluent in Afrikaans and Hebrew and speaks medical Spanish. Dr. Abelowitz enjoys spending time with his family. His hobbies include theater, tennis, triathlons and working out.

AWARDS:

• 2019 Orange Coast Magazine Top Doctors
• 2018 Southern California Super Doctors List Recipient
• 2016 Expert Network Distinguished Doctor Designation
• 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 Physician of Excellence from the Orange County Medical Association, Orange County Register and Coast Magazine
• 2012, 2013 & 2014 Castle Connolly Top Doctors®
• 2012 Patients Choice Honoree for Quality of Care

SPECIAL INTERESTS:

ADD/ADHD, pediatric healthcare and medicine, primary children’s healthcare, preventative care, nutrition, growth, and development

It's summertime! Burns are happening a lot for kids from BBQ's, fireworks to just curious kids. This episode covers:

-common burns

-most concerning burns

-treating burns at home (and how)

-when to see a burn specialist

Learn about the most common objects kids ingest and when to let these objects pass naturally or when to seek medical attention for removal. This episode covers:

-What to do when your child swallows a foreign body

-A trick to try at home before taking your child to the doctor (Mother's Kiss)

A quick illustration and explanation of The mother’s kiss

https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2013/may/mothers-kiss/

-Dangers of objects being ingested (damage to stomach, esophagus etc.)

-X-rays of neck, chest & stomach

-Symptoms  to be concerned with that parents should look for when their child has swallowed an object

Call the National Battery Ingestion Hotline if someone swallows a battery.

National Button Battery Ingestion Hotline: (800) 498-8666

Head injuries  are very common for children.  This episode covers:

-Low risk & high risks of kids (when a CT scan  is needed)

-Brain injuries vs concussions

-What to look for when your child may have  a  serious brain/head injury

PECARN Pediatric Head Injury/Trauma Algorithm-Predicts need for brain imaging after pediatric head injury: https://www.mdcalc.com/pecarn-pediatric-head-injury-trauma-algorithm

Insect bites are inevitable during the summertime, especially in South Florida! This episode will cover:

-remedies to help ease insect bite symptoms

-Skeeter Syndrome (allergic reaction to bites)

-Skin infections from scratching & treatment (Cellulitis) 

About Dr. Melissa Kivitz-Krantzow

Melissa attended medical school at Albany Medical College and her Pediatric Residency at Cornell New York Presbyterian. She then went on to Pediatric ER fellowship -LIJ- Cohen children’s Medical Center.

Melissa worked at Joe DiMaggio children’s Hospital, West Boca Medical Center Pediatric ER and is currently working at PM Pediatrics in Parkland, FL. 

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family (husband and 3 children-(ages 6, 4, and 2) and one labradoodle.)

Children at risk are children with atopic parents. Meaning the parents are allergic. Atopic March, sometime called Allergic March, refers to the natural history or typical progression of allergic diseases that often begin early in life. These include atopic dermatitis (eczema), food allergy, allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and asthma.

This episode covers:

-genetics & allergies

-early exposure

-common allergies

-food allergies

-eczema

-asthma 

-severe reactions 

-testing and screening for allergies 

-when to give epinephrine (signs and symptoms)

About JONATHAN MALKA, MD FAAAI:

Jonathan Malka, MD, FAAAI is currently the director of Allergy & Immunology at one the largest pediatric groups in the country. Prior to starting the allergy division at Pediatric Associates Dr. Malka was an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, at National Jewish Health Division of Allergy/Immunology and Rheumatology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. He also served in the Division of Immunopharmacology Laboratory, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado.

Dr. Malka earned a doctor of medicine degree from “La Universidad Central de Venezuela” in Caracas, Venezuela. After completing his medical education Dr. Malka joined the International Center for Interdisciplinary Studies of Immunology at Georgetown University where he received the International Fellow Distinguished Award in Allergy & Immunology and a Research Achievement Award for Outstanding Research on “Susceptibility Test-Adverse Effects of Smallpox Vaccine”. Dr. Malka completed his pediatric training at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, NY. Dr. Malka went on to National Jewish Health in Denver, CO were he completed his fellowship in Allergy and Immunology.

Dr. Malka is currently a Fellow of the American Academy and American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology. Dr. Malka has published more than 20 review articles in prestigious journals both in the USA and Venezuela. Dr. Malka has earned prestigious awards including Favorite Pediatric Specialist award given by Broward Family Favorites on both 2013 and 2014.

Dr. Malka’s research interest includes food allergies, understanding and managing severe asthma and biomarkers in the diagnosis and management of asthma. He also served in the Division of Immunopharmacology Laboratory, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado.

This episode covers cardiac effects reported in children that have been infected  by Covid such as:

-Myocarditis 

-Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) 

-Pulmonary hypertension

-Angina

-Clotting

-Abnormal EKG and labs

-Sudden Death

The doctors also deep dive into what parents need to know to get kids cleared for sports after being exposed to Covid, what symptoms to look for and when they need to see their pediatrician or cardiologist specialist.  Abnormal findings that make children unable to be cleared for sports is also discussed. 

Learn how getting children 12 years old and up vaccinated can help lower the risk and symptoms and why children with underlying heart conditions still are recommended to get vaccinated. 

Melissa Diamond grew up in South Florida.  She completed her undergraduate and medical school at the University of Miami and continued on with residency and fellowship both at University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital.  She has been with Pediatric Associates for 4 years and currently works primarily out of the Aventura and soon to be Hialeah locations.

Covid-19 vaccine information is constantly changing as we get new updates every day. We will continue to give guidance as we receive more educated and evidence-driven information to our listeners. As of this recording, Pediatric Associates recommends getting vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.  

Episode 13 of KidzDocTalk will cover the following topics:

-Why the Covid vaccination is important for children and who should get this vaccine.

-What Covid vaccinations are approved for kids, age limits and how the vaccine works.

-Side effects and what to monitor after receiving the vaccine.

-Concerns about interacting with people who have not been vaccinated. 

-Risks of getting sick, spreading the virus and developing Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) 

-Concerns about Myocarditis (Inflammation of the middle layer of the heart wall.)

-Common questions and concerns

Dr. Hanadys Ale is a pediatric immunologist and allergist at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. She was part of the Inaugural Class of The FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and graduated with Honors in 2013. She then pursued her residency in Pediatrics at Miami Children’s Hospital (now Nicklaus Children’s Hospital). On July 2018, she completed her fellowship in Allergy and Immunology from Nicklaus Children’s/Cleveland Clinic Florida combined A/I fellowship, and joined the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital on August of the same year. 

Dr. Ale enjoys research and has presented several research projects on multiple national and international Allergy and Immunology meetings. She has published her work on prestigious journals such as Pediatrics in Review and the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in Practice. She is passionate about Primary Immunodeficiencies, especially 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome. She is the immunologist and the medical director of the 22q Multidisciplinary Clinic at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. 

Dr. Ale is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) National Medical Honor Society, She is also the recipient of the FIU 2018 TORCH Award as Distinguished Alumna, which is the highest honor bestowed upon alumni and faculty of FIU.Most recently, she was invited to teach the Immunology course to the 1st year medical students at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. 

Dr. Ale is the proud mom of a 9-month-old baby boy named Alejandro. Fun fact is that she was breastfeeding when she received her Covid-19 vaccine, and that motivated her even more to keep strong on their breastfeeding journey, since she knew she was passing her Covid antibodies to Alejandro through her breastmilk. 

This episode covers:

- When children should start swimming lessons and building a relationship with water

-Best practices and tools to help prevent drownings from happening

-The different bodies of water to be weary of (besides pools)

-False senses of security that floaties give both parents and children 

-The use of U.S. Coast Guard approved PFD (personal floating device).

Cassie (pronounced Casey) McGovern is the Founder of the McGovern Foundation, aimed at raising awareness regarding drowning prevention and organ donation. She has served as the Drowning Prevention Program Supervisor with The Florida Department of Health in Broward County for the past 7 years. Cassie and her team created innovative initiatives to help educate our community on the risk factors related to drowning prevention. Cassie also brings a unique prospective, being a mother of a drowning victim. 

Resources:

The McGovern Foundation: https://www.mcgovernfoundation.com/

The McGovern Foundation Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/McGovern-Foundation-Inc-dba-Ems-Place-184285014995159 

The McGovern Foundation Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mcgovernfoundation/ 

Water Smart Broward, Request Water Safety Presentation: https://watersmartbroward.org/get-involved/request-water-safety-presentation/

Episode 11 of KidzDocTalk discusses ADHD ( Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). ADHD is a dysregulation of hormones in the brain that affects a child’s self-esteem, focus and behavior. This episode covers what parents should look out for when your child could potentially have ADHD, families that are resistant to the diagnosis, medication and side effects as well as the long-term risks of ADHD going untreated.

Resources Mentioned in this episode to help parents understand their child with ADHD:

Book 1: The Misunderstood Child: Understanding and Coping with Your Child's Learning Disabilities by Larry B. Silver

Book 2: Taking Charge of ADHD by Russell Barkley PHD: An 8 step approach plan for parents

Book 3: 8 Keys To Parenting Children with ADHD by Cindy Goldrich

Book 4: The Whole Brain Child by Dr. Bruce Perry and Dr. Tina Payne. For every parent and caregiver. A valuable resource on effective parenting strategies that are backed by cutting edge research on brain development.

Dr. Giselle Habet MD FAAP is an International Medical Graduate of the University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago. She obtained her Pediatric training at Jackson Memorial Medical Center, Holtz Children’s Hospital in Affiliation with The University of Miami Leonard Miller School of Medicine in Miami Florida. 

She is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and sits on the General Pediatrics Examination Committee for the ABP. 

Dr. Habet has been a part of the Pediatric Associates family since August of 2016. She is currently the Lead Pediatrician of the brand-new Bartram office and is excited to be an integral part of the medical community and  growing Saint John’s County Community at large.

Dr. Habet has lived in Saint Johns for the last five years with her husband and two beautiful children in Saint Augustine where she spends most of her free time enjoying her family. They love the outdoors and spend time at the beach, hiking, biking, and lots of time on the soccer field and other kid sports activities. 

Dr. Habet genuinely believes in the American Academy of Pediatrics statement that “the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents should be accessible, continuous, comprehensive, family centered, coordinated, compassionate, and culturally effective”. She is passionate about providing the best care and medical home her patients and their families deserve.