ParentingU

Lent is a special time of year for Christians worldwide. Rob Tasman, Our Lady of Lourdes Health vice president of mission integration, shares some ways parents can talk to youngsters about what Lent means and offers some practical ways families can celebrate Lent on this special extra credit edition of ParentingU.

Tasman emphasizes the many ways to have age-appropriate discussions about Lent and Jesus' life and resurrection. He also shares how talking about gratitude and getting involved in community service projects and helping the poor can bring home the message of Lent.

To give families some ideas of ways to pray and talk about Lent, Tasman shares how to modify a Jesuit practice called the Examen for children of all ages — a practice he employs within his own family.

We wish everyone a blessed Lent and hope this extra credit episode of ParentingU gives you some ideas for discussion and reflection this season.

- How does Lent relate to my Catholic faith?

- How can I simplify Jesus' resurrection for my young children?

- What are some ways young children can observe Lent in a meaningful way?

- What is the Examen and how can I use it with my kids?

- Enjoy our Lenten playlist, available on our Healthful Notes Spotify channel. Over 30 minutes of beautiful music, curated for quiet reflection

- Read more on Talking About Lent with Kids here

- Watch Rob Tasman talk about the Lenten season on ParentingU

We'll be back with more and another regular ParentingU episode soon. You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: ParentingU playlist.

Fever is always a hot topic for parents, and there are lots of myths and phobias. It's one of the most common reasons parents bring their kids to the doctor. Knowing what qualifies as a fever and how to respond are important for parents to understand. Paige Guillory, MD, joins us again to share some ParentingU Extra Credit about children's fevers.

• Read our blog post, My Child Has a Fever, What Should I Do?

• What temperature qualifies as a fever in a child?
• What is a temperature when I should bring my child to the doctor?
• What signs should I be looking for in a child with a fever?
• What steps should I take if my child has a fever?

We hope you enjoyed this mini episode with tips you can use right away. We'll be back with more and another regular ParentingU episode soon!

You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: ParentingU playlist.

No one likes a headache! Even kids can get a routine headache from time to time, but when are headaches something we should bring to our pediatrician? Yash D. Shah, MD, a pediatric neurologist with Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital offers some ParentingU Extra Credit, sharing some tips about headaches in kids.

• Stay healthy this season! Read our post: Avoiding Coronavirus, Flu, and Confusion this Season
• Read our blog about the importance of pediatric primary care: Establishing a Foundation for Lifelong Health
• Hear all the episodes of ParentingU, including our recent Extra Credit episodes here: ParentingU Podcast

We hope you enjoyed this mini episode with tips you can use right away. We'll be back with more and another regular ParentingU episode soon!

You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: ParentingU playlist.

Happy Holidays from ParentingU! To keep your littlest ones safe this season as they receive lots of toys as gifts, we welcome Paige Guillory, MD, to provide some safety tips about button batteries and magnets.

• If you believe a child has swallowed a battery or magnet, treat it like an emergency

• Christmas is right around the corner! Get some wonderful ideas for how to talk to your children about this holiday: ParentingU Talking to Our Kids About Christmas

We hope you enjoyed this mini episode with tips you can use right away. We'll be back with more and another regular ParentingU episode soon!

You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: ParentingU playlist.

A seizure sounds like a scary event for any parent to witness in their child, but it's important to understand that a seizure doesn't necessarily mean there's a scary diagnosis in a child's future. Kenneth Habetz, MD of Our Lady of Lourdes is a pediatric neurologist and has a focus on childhood epilepsy. Dr. Habetz joins us on ParentingU to explain what a seizure is; how they are different to epilepsy; and what to do if your child has a seizure. Many parents have concerns about seizures in children—this episode has a lot of answers.

• Does having a seizure mean a child has epilepsy?
• What should I do if my child has a seizure?
• What is a febrile seizure?
• What causes seizures?
• Do kids outgrow seizures?
• Is medication the only treatment for seizures?
• Does sugar cause seizures?
• Why should I video my child having a seizure?

• Habetz likes some of the resources available on the Epilepsy Foundation website
• If your child is having a seizure, Dr. Habetz says to place the child on their side; DO NOT put anything in their mouth
• Habetz welcomes calls from primary care physicians to discuss pediatric seizures

We hope you enjoy the new season of ParentingU! You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: ParentingU playlist.

Happy Holidays from ParentingU! To help keep all your holiday travels safe and sound, we welcome back Grant Clinkingbeard, MD to provide you some practical tips for staying safe as you travel with children to Grandma and Grandpa's (or wherever you travel this holiday season!)

• Stay safe through whatever weather we get this year: Family Safety Tips as the Weather Changes
• Christmas is right around the corner! Get some wonderful ideas for how to talk to your children about this holiday: ParentingU Talking to Our Kids About Christmas

We hope you enjoyed this mini episode with tips you can use right away. We'll be back with more and another regular ParentingU episode soon!

You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: ParentingU playlist.

The diagnosis of cleft lip and palate is much more common than you might realize, but the treatment is accessible, advanced and comprehensive! We can't quite say that cleft lip and palate is "no big deal," but we can say an entire team of doctors, surgeons, dentists, speech therapists and social workers are trained and experienced at making this diagnosis as low-impact and manageable as possible. Most babies who have a cleft lip or cleft palate only have a slight, unnoticeable scar after receiving treatment.

To discuss the team approach for treating cleft lip and palate, ParentingU host Stephanie is joined by Lisa Morris, MD and Laura Hetzler, MD—both otolaryngologists (Ear, Nose and Throat physicians), both with specialties in facial plastic surgery; and co-directors of Our Lady of the Lake Cleft and Craniofacial Multidisciplinary Team. You will hear the passion these doctors have for their specialties and receive an education about how a medical team can work together for their infant patients and their families.

• Learn more about Our Lady of the Lake Cleft and Craniofacial Multidisciplinary Team here.
• Read about the Cleft and Craniofacial Services available.
• Learn more about the LSU Department of Otolaryngology and the research they are conducting.

• How common is a diagnosis of cleft lip and palate?
• When do expectant parents often learn of the cleft lip and palate diagnosis?
• We received a diagnosis of cleft lip for our baby. I am scared and upset. What can I do?
• What causes cleft lip and palate?
• What kinds of doctors help with cleft lip and palate treatment?
• Can a baby with a cleft lip have a normal life?
• How do babies with cleft lip and palate eat?
• Are there resources in South Louisiana to help with a diagnosis of cleft lip and palate?
• Is LSU involved in cleft lip and palate research?

We hope you enjoy the new season of ParentingU! You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: ParentingU playlist.

I'm deleting these links to the other hospitals - this is really a Baton Rouge specific service - at the Children's Hospital. These are the three hospitals where babies are born (although St. Francis is in northern Louisiana)

The possibility of gestational diabetes can bring about a lot of fears for many expectant moms (and dads!). From stories of unpleasant glucose testing, concerns about "failed" tests, blood monitoring, pregnancy weight gain and worse—there are lots of questions when it comes to the facts about gestational diabetes and how to properly manage this condition. Returning to ParentingU is Carmen Alexis Miller, MS, RDN, LDN, of Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital in Lafayette. Miller is a dietitian with lots of practical tips and clear information to help us better understand what gestational diabetes is—plus how to manage it during pregnancy.

• Miller recommends Real Food for Gestational Diabetes by Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE, as a resource for managing gestational diabetes with diet.
• Read more from Miller about eating well with gestational diabetes.
• Once your baby is born, you can help your child develop healthy eating habits as they grow. Listen to this ParentingU episode—How Can Parents Encourage Healthy Eating Habits?
• "Focus Foods" guide—ideas for healthy foods while pregnant. Download our Focus Foods guide here.

• What is gestational diabetes, and is it serious?
• Why do I have to take a glucose test when pregnant?
• Does my diet have anything to do with gestational diabetes?
• What are "focus foods" and how do I get more focus food into my diet?
• Should I exercise while pregnant?
• How can I talk to a dietitian while I am pregnant?
• My doctor said I failed my glucose test. Does that mean I have gestational diabetes?
• Is medicine the only cure for gestational diabetes?

You can learn more about our birthing hospitals and maternity services across South Louisiana:

• Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital
• Our Lady of the Angels Hospital
• Francis Medical Center

We hope you enjoy the new season of ParentingU! You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: ParentingU playlist.

Halloween is right around the corner, and ParentingU has some extra credit for you. Grant Clinkingbeard, MD is a pediatrician with some tips to help keep your kids' Halloween happy and fun—not scary!

• Boo! Stay healthy at Halloween: Your Guide to a Healthier Halloween
• Halloween safety tips for the whole family: A Snapshot of Halloween Safety
• Safety treats, not tricks! Tips and Tricks for Halloween Safety

We hope you enjoyed this mini episode with tips you can use right away. We'll be back with more and another regular ParentingU episode soon!

You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: ParentingU playlist.

When you're having a baby, it's good to have a solid team on your side. Meet Ashley Conner, RN, BSN, a Pediatric Nurse Navigator and Evie Robison, RN, a Pregnancy Navigator—both Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital. Conner and Robison join ParentingU host Stephanie to talk about how to pick a pediatrician, why you should make the choice before your baby is born—and how to get help making that decision!

Both navigators stress that who you and your baby see for medical care in the early years is all about forming a relationship. Your baby's doctor is someone you may be seeing for years to come—what are some of the questions and considerations to take on now, before your baby arrives? In this thoughtful episode, you'll learn more about what to think about when choosing a doctor for your baby plus how to access resources available to you and your family.

• What is a Pediatric Nurse Navigator and what do they do?
• How do I find out a pediatrician's office policies and how they view pediatric care?
• Does "bedside manner" or a doctor's style matter when it comes to pediatrics?
• How do I get recommendations for pediatricians?
• Oops, I am not happy with the pediatrician I picked. What can I do?
• What are some practical things I should think about—like office location—when picking a doctor? Why are those so important?
• I just found out I'm pregnant! When should I start looking for a pediatrician?
• Does it matter if I have a pediatrician picked out before I give birth?
• What kinds of things should I know about myself before I pick a pediatrician?
• How do I set an appointment with a Pediatric Nurse Navigator?

Ready to start a relationship with an exceptional pediatrician?

• Find a pediatric provider in Baton Rouge.
• Find a pediatric provider in Acadiana.
• Find a pediatric provider in Northeast Louisiana.
• Find a pediatric provider in Bogalusa.

• Preregister! Expectant moms can register at Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital here
• ParentingU episode about Getting Ready for Baby
• ParentingU episode about Preparing to Breastfeed
• Digital Resources from our birthing hospitals:
• Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital
• Our Lady of the Angels Hospital
• Francis Medical Center

We hope you enjoy the new season of ParentingU! You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: ParentingU playlist.