Dr. Ian Mitchell joins Holly Wayment to review pectus excavatum and carinatum: how they present, typical ages of detection, and practical screening tips for pediatricians.

The episode summarizes evaluation steps including when to order CT with Haller index, echocardiography, and pulmonary testing, and compares treatment options—bracing and vacuum bell therapy, Nuss and Ravitch procedures—plus timing (ideal repair ~14–15 years) and perioperative care.

Listeners also hear about pain management advances (erector spinae blocks, cryoanalgesia), outcomes, psychosocial effects, adult considerations, and the Fresh Start program offering free reconstructive surgeries for eligible families.

Link for CME Credit 

https://cmetracker.net/UTHSCSA/Publisher?page=pubOpen#/getCertificate/10101136

Goat Milk Formula: New U.S. Approval — What Pediatricians Need to Know

When Neurology & Psychiatry Overlap, More on Tics and Tourette's. Plus PANDAS/PANS

Link for CME Credit Coming Soon!

Dr. Sheldon Gross and host Holly Wayment,  talk about more about evaluation and management of tics and Tourette's syndrome, plus when psychiatry and neurology in general overlap.

The episode also covers related conditions—PANDAS/PANS, autoimmune encephalitis, functional neurological disorders, and seizures—highlighting collaboration between specialties and offering reassurance about prognosis for most children.

link for CME credit coming soon!

The episode reviews practical management: distinguishing tics from seizures, the role of CBIT and psychotherapy, medication principles, lifestyle and school strategies, and important causes like PANDAS/PANS and autoimmune encephalitis.

Listeners will get clear takeaways on communication with families, prognosis and reassurance, and when to involve specialists.

Tics, Twitches and Tourette's: When to Worry and What to Do

Link for CME Credit Coming Soon

Host Holly Wayment talks with Dr. Sheldon Gross about how to tell tics from twitches, common causes and triggers (stress, stimulants, sleep), and simple first steps families and pediatricians can take to reduce symptoms without medication.

They review Tourette’s criteria, behavioral approaches like CBIT, medication options (guanfacine, clonidine, antipsychotics, topiramate), red flags for seizures or other neurological causes, and the overlap between neurological and psychiatric conditions.

Link for CME credit coming soon!

Dr. Avinash Boddapati joins Pediatrics Now and builds on the wonderful talk by Dr. Mario Fierro in part one, to explain more about what we know—and don’t—about the causes of autism, highlighting that autism is multifactorial and involves genetics, brain biology, and environmental influences.

He covers early red flags, genetic risk and testing, maternal and prenatal factors, common misconceptions (including vaccines), and promising research directions like gene–environment interactions and epigenetics.

Key takeaways for pediatric clinicians: counsel families without blame, prioritize early identification and intervention, and weigh risks and benefits when discussing exposures during pregnancy.

Link for CME Credit:

https://cmetracker.net/UTHSCSA/Publisher?page=pubOpen#/getCertificate/10101120

Host Holly Wayment and the Department of Pediatrics bring us a recent grand rounds talk by Dr. Mario Fierro where he reviews how autism is defined under DSM‑5, explains core diagnostic areas (social/communication deficits and restricted/repetitive behaviors), and emphasizes age‑based interpretation and the spectrum of severity.

He covers screening (M‑CHAT), standardized assessments (ADOS, CARS), common comorbidities and risk factors (genetics, prematurity, congenital conditions), and practical considerations for clinicians and families.

He also discusses treatment options—speech/OT, ABA, FDA‑approved medications for symptoms—reviews alternative therapies and controversies (including leucovorin research and vaccine myths), and offers pragmatic advice on when to refer and focus on functional communication.

Drs. Ruby Patel and Rajdeep Pooni present Grand Rounds using a 12-year-old case to illustrate pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus and class IV lupus nephritis, covering presentation, biopsy findings, and pathology. The talk explains diagnostic criteria and typical lab features.

They summarize current management including 2024 ACR guidance on induction therapies (steroids, mycophenolate, cyclophosphamide, and biologics), monitoring for complications and medication side effects, vaccination precautions for immunocompromised patients, and the pediatrician’s role in long-term coordination of care.

Link for CME Credit:

https://cmetracker.net/UTHSCSA/Publisher?page=pubOpen#/getCertificate/10101115

Host and Executive Producer Holly Wayment interviews Jacklynn Ware , MPH, CHES about Project YES, a free anonymous online mental health program that’s back, redesigned and improved for 13–17-year-olds to offer short, teen-focused modules to boost mood, reframe negative thoughts, and provide safety resources. And, yes, that includes an adorable video of a porcupine chomping on a pumpkin.

The episode explains who can benefit, how the program is youth-informed and evidence-based, and how it can be used immediately as a low-pressure, much needed resource.

Seizures in Kids — Practical Diagnosis, Treatments, and When to Refer

https://cmetracker.net/UTHSCSA/Publisher?page=pubOpen#/getCertificate/10101013

Host Holly Wayment brings us this wonderful grand rounds talk for the general pediatrician by pediatric neurologist Dr. Natasha Varughese, where she reviews childhood epilepsy syndromes (ages ~3–15), covering self-limited epilepsies, focal and generalized epilepsies, and developmental epileptic encephalopathies. Key diagnostic tools include EEG, MRI, and genetic testing; prognosis varies widely by syndrome.

The talk highlights practical management: appropriate antiseizure medications (and which to avoid), indications for ketogenic diet, when to consider surgery or neuromodulation (VNS, RNS), and warning signs for referral to neurology or epilepsy specialists.