Real Talk with Kid Docs

KIDS' QUESTIONS is a place where kids can ask us anything and we will answer in a scientific and understandable way!

This is meant to be listened to by the whole family! Bring us along on your next car ride!

Send us your questions and you too can be on as a guest questioner! 
Email us at [email protected]. 

Welcome back to Episode 25 and thank you to all our loyal listeners! Please share an episode with someone you know! 

Beth recently had the honor of speaking at the National Scleroderma Foundation Annual Conference, July 20-22 in Seattle, WA.  Using her background as a Pediatrician, parent and person living with Scleroderma, she spoke to PARENTS of kids with Scleroderma at the "Kids Get Scleroderma Too" portion of the conference.  She discussed the challenges navigating the healthcare system and how to advocate for your child and yourself when you have rare, complex, chronic disease. 

In this episode we use her experience as a springboard to discuss strategies applicable for ALL parents to apply to their own kids - think constipation, headaches, belly pain, etc. The healthcare system is complex, fragmented and confusing. It is important that parents feel empowered to share the responsibility of managing their child's care. 

Topical antibiotic ointments are unnecessary and more likely to cause an allergic reaction as many people are sensitive to these antibiotics. 

Good old fashioned soap and water are your friends for minor cuts and scrapes.

The "ointment" part is great though!  Ointment is the term for the jelly-like stuff called by the trade names Vaseline or Aquaphor. Pat dry and then apply Vaseline or Aquaphor as an ointment to protect the skin and keep the area hydrated. Hydrated skin will heal more easily and scar less. 

In this episode of Real Talk With Kids Docs we dive into the world of Direct Primary Care (DPC) with  our guests Dr. Phil Boucher and Dr. Deanna Barry. Both are pediatricians and owners of DPC practices and each with meaningful insights into the differences between the traditional fee-for-service practice and DPC. Dr. Boucher is the owner of Frontier Pediatrics in Lincoln, Nebraska and Dr. Barry of Barry Pediatrics in Bath, Ohio.

In Part 1 of our discussion we explore what exactly is direct primary care and what motivated them to make the switch to this practice model from the traditional fee-for-service practice. Practically, what does this mean for the practice of medicine and how have they seen their lives change in terms of career and personal satisfaction.

In addition to their roles as pediatricians and practice owners, Phil and Deanna also spend their time helping other physicians making the transition to DPC with novel business strategies and spearheading national events like the Pediatric Direct Primary Care Mastermind conference. 

Stay tuned for Part 2 where we will talk about what it’s like from the patient side to experience DPC.

The following DPC resources are referenced in this episode.

Frontier Pediatrics (⁠https://frontierpediatric.care/home⁠)

Barry Pediatrics (⁠https://www.barrypediatrics.com/⁠)

My DPC Story (⁠https://www.mydpcstory.com/⁠) - a podcast hosted by Dr. Maryal Concepcion talking about all htinkgs DPC

DPC Mapper: ⁠https://mapper.dpcfrontier.com/⁠

Perri Klass - A Good Time to Be Born: How Science and Public Health Gave Children a Future.

We are once again joined by our good friend Dr. Molly McVoy, M.D.. She is a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, as well as Training Director for the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at University Hospitals of Cleveland/Case Western Reserve in our home state ... Give me an O-H-I-O-!

In episode 12, we did a broad overview of ADHD. We started with the hyperactive subtype. We ran out of time to delve into the the inattentive and combined subtype.

Here, we review the definition and diagnosis of ADHD and then focus on the inattentive subtype, learning when and how these kids typically present to our attention. We discuss how gender may increase the likelihood of various subtypes and the importance of treatment of the whole person. We discuss the possibility of undiagnosed ADHD leading to other intrinsic and extrinsic behavior problems, thus reinforcing the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. 

So much of behavior intervention is recognizing our parental bias and instinct, cleaning our 'lense' when appropriate, and seeing our kids for who they are. Kids are not intrinsically bad or malicious. Beneath their sometimes troublesome and aggravating behavior is a child with a need and it is our job as parents and caregivers to uncover this root cause. 

In this episode we are joined by Paige Dunmore, Physical Therapy Assistant with specialized training in pelvic floor health. She is a Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist (PCES) and knowledgeable mom of two!

Listen along as we talk about that unique area of our bodies called the PELVIC FLOOR. Everyone has one, but we don't talk about it nearly as much as we should. What does your pelvic floor do? How do you know if it is too loose (pelvic floor laxity) or too tight (pelvic floor tension)?

We discuss pelvic floor disorders related to pregnancy and childbirth.  Yes, BOTH vaginal and C-section deliveries impact your pelvic floor!  We also talk about common pregnancy issue called diastasis recti which (surprise!) also has to do with your pelvic floor!

Learn why the pelvic floor is a very important but seldom talked about area for your body, especially for those who are or have ever been pregnant but also for anyone with a pelvic floor. Yes, even males and kids need to know about their pelvic floor health!  Hint, you don't have to live with peeing a little bit when you sneeze! 

Stay tuned for a future episode when Paige joins us again to talk about what to do to improve your pelvic floor health! 

Maycember  is a term used to describe the hustle and bustle of the end of the school year that seems as full, if not more full of things, as the month of December. End of the year testing, last games, awards banquets, graduations (starting at the age of  Kindergarten graduations! When did that become a thing?) The gifts, the cards, the gatherings. Whew! It is a busy time of year! We took a little break for all those life things and now we are back! 
 
Listen along as Beth talks about her experience stepping into patient role with advocacy as the guest speaker for the National Scleroderma Foundation "Stepping Out to Cure Scleroderma" 5K walk. 

In this busy time, one way to recenter to take care of our needs and the needs of our kids and families is, what do we REALLY NEED? 

This episode is framed around a child's (and all of our) four basic needs:

1. To FEEL loved, not just BE loved. 

2. To be IMPORTANT to someone.

3. To be GOOD at something.

4. To BELONG to a group of others.

I love summer but ugh! The need for sun protection always adds a layer of complexity when we are headed out the door for some fun in the sun. 

The choices are sunscreen are dizzying! Chemical barrier or physical barrier? Spray or lotion? 

What is my personal favorite sunscreen? Spray zinc oxide! It provides the best PHYSICAL barrier to the sun while is also spreadable and does not leave as much of a white cast as the lotion. 

Happy summer! 

In this episode of Real Talk with Kid Docs, we explore how to have the awkward and sometimes  difficult conversations with your children - you know, the ones about sex and drugs that we try to always push for another day. We are joined by Dr. Stan Brewer, D.O., a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist to help guide us. 

We are reminded of the importance in developing an open and honest relationship with your kids to support these conversations and really all conversations at any age. 

A few tips: 

-Start earlier than you think.  You want them to hear it from you first. 

-Follow your kid's lead and engage in their curiosity to develop the conversation. For example, it is very natural for elementary age children to have questions about body parts. Use that to guide the conversation. 

-Use language and terms that are correct and appropriate. Stick with a level that fits their maturity level.

It feels like the tween and teen years are new and unfamiliar territory. Remember, you have been parenting for a while now. Build on things you have already talked about in their younger years. You may be more prepared than you think!

Where do I even start? Well, often, the first question kids ask that makes a parent squirm is, "Where do babies come from?" Dr. Brewer recommends the following book series to start the conversation off with young kids so you can build them later. These books are recommended for ages 4-8 years. 

It's So Amazing! A book about eggs, sperm, birth, babies and families 
It's Not the Stork: A book about girls, boys, babies, bodies, families and friends 
It's Perfectly Normal: Changing bodies, growing up, sex and sexual health

All by Robie H. Harris and Michael Emberley

Hi all.  It is Beth here.  I have Scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease. I was diagnosed just 8 months ago in September 2023 after 3-5 years of trying to figure out all of my vague symptoms.  I am the Master of Ceremonies for this event and I am inviting you to join me for the National Scleroderma 5k walk/run:  "Stepping Out to Cure Scleroderma". It is on Saturday, June 8th, 2024 from 8-11 am at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City, Utah.

I am using my voice as both a doctor and a patient to raise awareness of a bigger issue:

Scleroderma is a rare autoimmune disease, but autoimmune diseases are COMMON. 

• They are underrecognized.  They difficult to diagnose and treat. 
• Early recognition is key to preventing disability and unnecessary suffering.
• There are over 100 autoimmune diseases. 
• Some autoimmune diseases are rare but there are a LOT of very common ones like Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus.  
• Even diseases that are not “known as” autoimmune disorders are autoimmune in nature —Type 1 diabetes, Celiac disease, Guillain Barre syndrome, Inflammatory bowel disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (the most COMMON cause of hypothyroidism). 
• Taken altogether, 1 in 15 people has an autoimmune disease. 

Alone we are rare. Together, we are everywhere.

 Walks like this are meant to help people feel less alone by being surrounded by others who are like them. 

On June 8th, we walk to raise awareness and support for Scleroderma.  

AND every day, we can share our stories and support one another as an autoimmune community that includes over 50 million people in the United States. 

Please come walk/run with us if you or someone you know lives with an autoimmune disease.

To register for the walk:
1.           Go to https://scleroderma.org/steppingout/
2.           Under “Upcoming 2024 Stepping out to Cure Scleroderma Walks”, select the “Rocky Mountain Chapter” 
3.           Click on Salt Lake City, June 8th, 2024
4.           Please join MY TEAM! Click on “Join a team” and enter my team name: 

“Phoenix Rising”. Why? A phoenix is a mythical bird that lives for 500 years. When it comes time to die, the phoenix bursts into flames and then rises from its own flames to be reborn. Autoimmune diseases are disorders of inflammation – fire in your body. That fire can consume you or you can be reborn from it. 

Please share!