Paging Dr. Dad

“Do you recommend both the flu and COVID shots for your kids?”

A text from a friend kicks off this mini episode of Paging Dr. Dad. Alyssa joins her husband, Dr. Connor Kriz, to ask the questions parents are bringing into respiratory virus season—from getting several shots at one appointment to helping little ones feel comfortable afterward.

Together, they talk through:

• Timing flu shots for the fall and winter season.

• How age and health history factor into conversations about COVID vaccination.

• Giving multiple immunizations at the same visit.

• Questions about Tylenol, Motrin, and fevers after shots.

• RSV protection for babies—and the changes Dr. Kriz has seen in the hospital during his medical career.

Along the way, they share stories from their own kids’ appointments, including one very proud preschooler.

Have a question for the docs? Email us at [email protected], follow us on Instagram @PagingDrDad.ThePodcast or leave a comment on our social media. Your question could inspire a future episode!

Recommendations and eligibility can change. Talk with your child’s pediatrician about what’s appropriate for their age and health history.

Kids are back to school this week and the start of a new school year can bring excitement, nerves and a whole lot of changes for the whole family.

In this episode of Paging Dr. Dad, Dr. Connor Kriz and Dr. Jeremy Veenema are joined by Jenny Wassink, a mom and nurse at Alger Pediatrics, to talk about how families can make the transition back to school a little smoother.

They talk about everything from getting kids back into a sleep routine and helping them transition and decompress after a long school day to navigating screen time, big feelings, friendship challenges and bullying. Jenny also explains what a patient centered medical home looks like in practice and how families can use their pediatrician office as a resource throughout the school year.

Plus, the dads share some tips and insights they’ve learned from their own kids, including why sometimes the best thing you can do after school is give everyone a little space to unwind.

Some takeaways

• Give kids a chance to decompress. After a full day of school, kids may need some time to move, play, eat a snack and simply be themselves before tackling homework or talking about their day.
• Practice before problems happen. Whether it's starting school, dealing with a difficult classmate or setting a boundary with a friend, rehearsing possible scenarios through play or conversation can give kids tools they can draw on later.
• You don't always have to fix it. Sometimes kids need a safe person who will listen rather than immediately solve the problem for them.
• And remember: you're not doing this alone. Your child's teachers, pediatrician and other trusted adults can all be part of the team helping your child navigate the school year.

Guest

Jenny Wassink is a pediatric nurse and mom who has worked in pediatrics for 14 years, including time at Children's National in Washington, D.C., and in a NICU in Wisconsin. She has been a nurse at Alger Pediatrics for five years, where she works in phone triage and helps lead the practice's patient-centered medical home.

Have a question you'd like the doctors to answer on a future episode? Send your “pages” to [email protected].

The information shared on this podcast is provided for general, educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or a substitute for professional medical care.

Welcome to Paging Dr. Dad, a podcast from two pediatricians, and dads, who know that raising kids doesn't come with an instruction manual.

In this introductory episode, Dr. Connor Kriz and Dr. Jeremy Veenema introduce themselves, their families and share what brought them to medicine. On this show, they'll talk about what it means to be pediatricians who are also dads navigating parenthood right alongside the families they serve.

Dr. Kriz and Dr. Veenema practice at Alger Pediatrics in Grand Rapids, Michigan. With this show, they want to take conversations they have in the office every day beyond those four walls and make trusted pediatric information more accessible to families in the Alger community and beyond.

Have a question you'd like the doctors to answer on a future episode? Send your “pages” to [email protected].

The information shared on this podcast is provided for general, educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or a substitute for professional medical care.