In this episode of Encore with Dr. Anselm and Johar, we talk about anxiety in children—what it looks like, why it happens, how pediatricians recognize it, and what parents can do to help.

Anxiety is more than normal childhood worry. When fear and worry become persistent, they can affect a child’s school performance, sleep, friendships, and confidence. Many children don’t say “I’m anxious.” Instead, anxiety often shows up as stomach aches, headaches, nausea, trembling, fast heartbeat, shortness of breath, or repeated “I don’t want to go” moments—especially before school, social events, or new situations.

You’ll learn the common types of childhood anxiety, including separation anxiety, social anxiety, generalized anxiety, panic attacks, and specific phobias. The episode explains how pediatricians detect anxiety during routine visits by observing behavior, listening carefully to parent concerns, and using validated childhood anxiety screening questionnaires to identify patterns of worry, avoidance, and physical symptoms.

We also cover what contributes to anxiety—often a mix of temperament, genetics, stress, trauma or bullying, family modeling, and avoidance patterns—and why early support matters. Evidence-based treatment options include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which teaches coping skills and gradually reduces avoidance, and in some cases, medication, especially for moderate to severe anxiety or when therapy alone isn’t enough.

A key takeaway for parents: untreated anxiety can slowly shrink a child’s world, leading to avoidance, academic struggles, social withdrawal, and increased risk of depression in adolescence. But when anxiety is recognized early and treated properly, children can rebuild confidence, resilience, and joy.

This episode is designed to inform and empower parents, not alarm them. Anxiety is common, real, and treatable—and children can thrive with the right support.

In this episode of On Call with Dr. Anselm Anyoha, we take a clear, calm, and evidence-based walk through the real diseases childhood vaccines prevent—and why they still matter, even when parents rarely see them anymore.

Many parents ask: Why does my child need so many vaccines? What are these diseases really like? And what happens if a child gets one? This episode answers those questions in plain language, without fear-mongering and without medical jargon.

We explain how serious vaccine-preventable diseases affect children, including diphtheria, whooping cough (pertussis), tetanus, Hib, pneumococcal disease, hepatitis A and B, chickenpox, measles, mumps, rubella, meningitis, HPV-related cancers, and rotavirus. Parents learn what symptoms look like, how quickly some of these illnesses can become life-threatening, and why many of them were once leading causes of childhood death and disability.

This discussion also highlights an important truth: vaccines have made these diseases rare—but not gone. When vaccination rates drop, outbreaks return. Immunization protects not only individual children, but also infants, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.

Special attention is given to newer and often misunderstood vaccines, such as the HPV vaccine (a powerful cancer-prevention tool) and the rotavirus vaccine (a simple, oral vaccine that prevents severe dehydration in infants). We also explain why vaccine timing matters, especially for fast-moving infections like meningitis.

This episode is about understanding, prevention, and protection. Vaccines work quietly in the background, allowing children to grow, learn, and thrive without facing diseases that once caused widespread suffering. In short: vaccines prevent illness before parents ever have to witness it—and that’s exactly the point.

Why do babies die—and what can parents do to reduce that risk?

Using clear, respectful language, the episode explains the most common causes of newborn death, including maternal health conditions during pregnancy (such as high blood pressure, preeclampsia, diabetes, and infections), complications during labor and delivery, lack of oxygen at birth (birth asphyxia or hypoxia), prematurity, congenital conditions, and newborn infections like Group B Streptococcus.

Parents will learn how early and consistent prenatal care, skilled delivery, and simple life-saving actions—such as clearing a newborn’s airway, providing warmth, and basic resuscitation—can mean the difference between life and death in the first critical minutes after birth. The episode also highlights how disparities between countries affect infant survival, showing why babies born in resource-limited settings face much higher risks—not because their lives matter less, but because systems fail them.

Most importantly, this conversation is not meant to frighten parents. It is designed to inform, empower, and advocate. Families are shown how to recognize danger signs in newborns, practice infection prevention, insist on quality care, and become strong advocates for their babies—especially in underserved communities.

This episode blends medical insight with real-world experience and a message of hope: many newborn deaths are preventable, and when families, healthcare providers, and societies commit to basic standards of care, lives are saved

Where do new mothers really get their everyday parenting information?

In this episode of On Call with Dr. Anselm and Joha, we explore a question that surprises many families: pediatricians are often not the first place parents turn for answers—especially in the middle of the night.

Drawing from clinical experience and doctoral research in infant mental health and childhood development, Dr. Anselm explains how new parents commonly rely on Google searches, social media, parenting forums, friends, family members, and online communities long before they speak with their child’s doctor. This isn’t about distrust—it’s about accessibility, immediacy, and reassurance when questions arise in real time.

The episode breaks down:

Why parents naturally turn to online sources and social networks

The emotional comfort and shared experience these platforms provide

The real risks of misinformation, outdated advice, and delayed medical care

How cultural and generational parenting advice can sometimes conflict with modern medical knowledge

Why every baby is unique, and generalized online advice doesn’t always apply

Dr. Anselm also explains the critical roles of pediatricians and nurses—from hospital discharge education to ongoing well-child visits—and how healthcare providers help parents interpret, contextualize, and safely apply the information they encounter elsewhere.

Most importantly, this episode offers a practical solution: balance. Parents don’t need to reject online resources or family support—but they do need to anchor important decisions in evidence-based pediatric guidance.

If you’ve ever searched symptoms online at midnight, wondered whose advice to trust, or felt overwhelmed by conflicting parenting information, this episode will help you feel more confident, less anxious, and better supported in caring for your baby.

Infant and child mental health is often overlooked—but it is one of the most important foundations for lifelong well-being. In this episode of On Call with Dr. Anselm Anyoha, we explore what mental health truly means for babies, infants, and young children, long before diagnoses or labels ever come into play.

Mental health in early life is about inner well-being—a child’s ability to feel safe, experience joy, express emotions, form secure relationships, and connect meaningfully with others. Babies are not blank slates. From the earliest days of life, they have feelings, expectations, and a deep need for emotional connection.

This episode explains how emotional health develops through everyday caregiving moments—responding to cries, smiling back, offering comfort, maintaining predictable routines, and creating a calm, emotionally safe environment. These interactions shape brain development, support learning, and lay the groundwork for language, attention, resilience, and social skills.

Parents will learn why routine creates security, why negative emotions like crying or frustration are a normal and healthy part of development, and how emotional responsiveness—not perfection—builds confidence and emotional strength in children.

Most importantly, this conversation reminds families that supporting mental health starts at birth, not adolescence. Every hug, every moment of attention, and every loving response is quietly shaping a child’s future.

Perfect for parents, caregivers, educators, and anyone interested in infant mental health, early childhood development, emotional well-being, parenting support, and brain development in children.

Examining a sick 12-month-old can be one of the most challenging moments in pediatric care—and one of the most stressful for parents. In this episode of On Call with Dr. Anselm, we walk parents through what really happens when a one-year-old is sick, uncomfortable, and unable to explain what hurts.

At this age, toddlers are alert, mobile, and highly aware of their surroundings. Many already associate the doctor’s office with discomfort, vaccines, and unfamiliar faces. Add symptoms like fever, vomiting, cough, irritability, or pain, and medical visits can quickly become overwhelming for both child and parent.

Using a real clinical case, Dr. Anselm explains how pediatricians rely on careful observation, patience, and experience to understand what’s happening when a child cannot speak for themselves. Parents will learn why doctors often pause to watch before touching, how breathing patterns and behavior offer critical clues, and why listening to caregivers is just as important as the physical exam.

The episode also explains how common symptoms like vomiting can range from routine viral illness to more serious conditions—and how pediatricians systematically rule out dangerous causes. You’ll learn why ear infections are a frequent but often hidden source of fever, fussiness, and vomiting in toddlers, and how a thorough head-to-toe exam helps uncover the real problem.

Most importantly, this conversation reassures parents that a slow, thoughtful exam is a good exam. Pediatric care at this age is as much about emotional awareness and trust as it is about medical skill. When parents and clinicians work together, even the most challenging visits can lead to clear answers and effective treatment.

Perfect for parents of infants and toddlers, caregivers, and anyone who wants to better understand how pediatricians evaluate sick young children.

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In this episode of On Call with Dr. Anselm Anyoha, we explore an often overlooked but powerful milestone in infant development: social and emotional sophistication at 9 months of age.

Inspired by a real clinic visit, Dr. Anyoha explains how a quiet, observant baby can actually be a deeply engaged thinker. Parents will learn what it means when a 9-month-old carefully watches faces, follows movement, and shifts attention between caregivers and their surroundings. These behaviors are not random—they are key signs of healthy brain development, early communication skills, and emotional awareness.

The episode breaks down essential concepts such as joint attention (when babies share focus with a caregiver) and social referencing (when infants read a parent’s facial expressions to decide how to respond). These early skills form the foundation for language development, learning, emotional regulation, and future relationships.

Dr. Anyoha also discusses when parents should feel reassured—and when to pay closer attention. A consistent lack of interest in people, limited eye contact, or absence of shared attention may signal a developmental delay and should be discussed with a pediatrician. The importance of early intervention, hearing screening, and trusting parental instincts is emphasized throughout.

Parents will come away with clarity, reassurance, and practical guidance—plus a deeper appreciation that sometimes, a quiet baby isn’t disengaged at all. They’re simply thinking hard… very hard.

When should a baby start walking—and when should parents worry? In this episode of On Call with Dr. Anselm Anyoha, a board-certified pediatrician and child development expert breaks down everything parents need to know about walking milestones in infants and toddlers.

Learn the normal age range for walking, why some children walk later than others, how prematurity affects milestones, and whether skipping crawling is a problem (spoiler: often not). Dr. Anyoha explains common reasons for delayed walking, including limited practice, nutrition issues, muscle tone differences, vision concerns, and neurological factors—while emphasizing when evaluation is helpful and when reassurance is enough.

This episode also explores why walking is a critical developmental milestone beyond mobility, supporting brain development, language, social interaction, and independence. Parents will get practical tips on how to encourage walking safely, when to talk to a pediatrician, and how early intervention such as physical therapy can help children thrive.

If your baby isn’t walking yet and you’re feeling worried, this episode offers clarity, reassurance, and evidence-based guidance—without panic, guilt, or milestone pressure.

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In this episode of On Call with Dr. Anselm, we explore why play is one of the most powerful tools children use to grow emotionally, socially, cognitively, and physically. Drawing on decades of pediatric and developmental science, including insights from T. Berry Brazelton, this conversation breaks down how play begins in infancy and evolves into the complex social learning that prepares children for adulthood.

Parents often think of play as something that starts later—but play begins as early as the first smiles, coos, and eye contact. From newborn social play to peekaboo, crawling exploration, early walking, language-driven play around 18 months, and imaginative toddler games, this episode walks parents through what healthy play looks like at every stage.

You’ll learn:

When play actually begins in babies (hint: much earlier than you think)

Why simple games like peekaboo and hide-and-seek build brain development and emotional security

How walking and language dramatically change how children play

Why play is essential for emotional regulation, resilience, and confidence

How parents can support play without over-structuring or over-directing

Why children across cultures play in remarkably similar ways

How play prepares children for relationships, school, and adult life

Most importantly, this episode reassures parents that play does not need to be expensive, complicated, or scheduled to be meaningful. Presence, responsiveness, and shared joy matter far more than toys or apps.

If you are a parent, caregiver, educator, or simply curious about how children grow, this episode will change the way you see play—and why protecting it matters as much as sleep, nutrition, and love.

Because when children play, they are doing the most important work of childhood.

Raising a child with a disability or autism can feel overwhelming, especially when parents are unsure what a diagnosis really means or what steps to take next. In this episode of On Call with Dr. Anselm Anyoha, board-certified pediatrician Dr. Anselm Anyoha provides clear, compassionate guidance for parents navigating childhood disabilities and autism spectrum disorder.

This episode explains the different types of disabilities in children—including physical, intellectual, sensory, and neurodevelopmental conditions—and explores common causes before birth, during delivery, and later in childhood. Dr. Anyoha discusses early warning signs parents may notice at home, how pediatricians and schools identify developmental delays, and why early intervention is critical for long-term outcomes.

Parents will learn about evidence-based therapies such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, behavioral therapy (ABA), and relationship-based approaches like DIR. The episode also highlights the importance of school-based supports, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), 504 Plans, and coordinated care between families, healthcare providers, and educators.

A special focus is placed on communication challenges and the powerful role of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and speech-generating devices for children with autism and other developmental disabilities. Dr. Anyoha explains how these tools reduce frustration, improve behavior, and help children connect, learn, and thrive.

This episode empowers parents with practical knowledge, advocacy strategies, and reassurance that a diagnosis is not the end—it is the beginning of informed action, meaningful support, and real progress. Ideal for parents, caregivers, educators, and anyone seeking trusted pediatric guidance on childhood disabilities and autism.