Migraine – a disease with a strong genetic component – can affect as many as 10% of children and present as early as two years old. The headache is the most prevalent symptom of migraine, but there is a lot more to this disease than many people understand.    

This week on Young & Healthy, experts from the Headache Center, Dr. Marielle Kabbouche Samaha and Dr. Shalonda Slater, join us to answer all of your questions about migraine. We discuss the difference between a migraine and a headache of a different origin, the types of migraines, the stages of migraine, and red flags that may indicate a headache is a symptom of something else. Dr. Kabbouche Samaha and Dr. Slater also share how children can adopt healthy habits to improve migraine frequency, treatments that are available for children, and what to do if a migraine starts while at school.   

For more information on the Headache Center, please visit https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/service/h/headache-center.  

Reaching “survivorship” often feels like the finish line for families who experience a childhood cancer diagnosis, but it is so important to also have the right care after treatment has ended.  

On this episode of Young & Healthy, Dr. Melissa Erickson, Medical Director of Cancer Survivorship as well as Oncology Primary Care at the University of Cincinnati, and Dr. Ellen Chang, Pediatric Oncologist here at Cincinnati Children’s join us to talk about how they think about care for cancer survivors. They discuss the impact cancer treatment can have throughout a patient’s lifetime, the importance of long-term follow up care, and the many ways family members can support survivors.  

For more information on the Cancer Survivorship Center, please visit: https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/service/c/cancer-survivor  

Let’s talk about poop, specifically, constipation. Constipation is the inability to have a bowel motion or fully empty the bowels each day. It is a common GI problem, and so many parents know the struggle of managing constipation. 

On this episode of Young & Healthy, Dr. Temara Hajjat, a pediatric GI specialist, joins us to advise parents on how to handle constipation with kids of all ages. We discuss the causes of constipation, signs to look for, treatments and how to use them correctly and when kids should see a pediatrician or GI specialist. Dr. Hajjat also shares common misconceptions about constipation, and reassures us all that it’s important to talk about poop! 

This episode is your cheat sheet for the first few weeks of school, to help your kids start the year strong and set them up for success all year long.  

On this episode of Young & Healthy, Carissa Lloyd and Kenny Haber, former special-ed teachers, and school liaisons in our Center for School Services, have all the tips to help students – and their families! - get ready to navigate the school year. They discuss setting schedules for in-person and virtual learning, setting healthy academic goals, studying tips, and preparing for state tests. We also discuss IHPs, 504 Accommodation Plans, and IEPs – the plans that help every child learn in an environment that supports their individual needs. If you have a child starting a new school year, this episode is for you! 

To learn more about the Center for School Services, visit here: https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/patients/resources/services/school-services  

For additional resources, please read: Tips for Communicating with Your Child's School

It’s a relief to have medications available when a member of your family is diagnosed with a new condition. But do you know how that medication was developed and what went into its approval for you to be able to use it?  

Dr. Marc Rothenberg has been working on a drug for the last decade to help his patients who have eosinophilic esophagitis. He’s our guest today, providing insight to how a new drug is developed; what the research, approval and distribution look like. He also shares more about how he and his team have given so much of themselves over the past many years to bring this drug to market for patients who previously haven’t had medication available. There is more to this process than we ever knew and we hope you will listen and learn more too. 

Cincinnati Center for Eosinophilic Disorders Research:  

https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/research/divisions/c/cced-research/research  

Anxiety is not a bad thing for children to experience. It is a feeling or emotion that involves tension, worried thoughts and physical responses. Anxiety is normal and is necessary to protect us from potential dangers, and motivate us to start or finish tasks. It exists on a spectrum from typical to needs intervention. On this episode of Young & Healthy, we explore this topic that we know parents are eager to learn more about.  

Dr. Suzanne Sampang, and Dr. Jeffrey Strawn join us to share their expertise about anxiety and anxiety disorders in children. They explain three types of anxiety disorders, common symptoms of each, and the impact of the pandemic on kids and the anxiety they experience. We also discuss symptoms that can look like anxiety but may actually indicate something else is going on, and strategies parents can use to check in with their child, and help them navigate situations that are anxiety inducing.  

It's summertime and kids are spending more time at the pool, playing outside, riding bikes with friends, and having grand summer adventures. Sometimes their adventures lead to injuries, making summer a busy time for the emergency department at Cincinnati Children's. But, summer activities don't have to end in an emergency visit; many injuries are preventable. 

This week on the podcast, Dr. Wendy Pomerantz, one of our emergency medicine doctors and Dawne Gardner, an injury prevention specialist, join us to talk about summertime injuries in the ED and how to prevent them, as well as information for parents to help them know what to do if an injury does happen.    

Blog: Grill Safety Do’s and Don’ts 

Blog: Preventing Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke: Remember to A.C.T. 

If you are a parent of an athlete, this episode is for you! Adolescent and teen athletes are not simply smaller adult athletes. They are still growing physically and mentally, and it is important to keep this in mind if they get injured playing a sport they love. Such as, did you know kids don’t get rotator cuff injuries, but are sometimes still diagnosed with them incorrectly?  

This week on the podcast, we have Dr. Kelsey Logan, and Dr. Eric Wall join us to discuss the importance of pediatric sports specialists. Our experts break down pediatric sports medicine and explain why young athletes need pediatric specialists. They also discuss when to visit a sports medicine specialist or an orthopedic specialist, common sports injuries, and how to know you need to have a sports injury checked out. This episode is a slam dunk, and you won’t want to miss it! 

For more information on the Division of Sports Medicine, please visit: https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/service/s/sports-medicine  

Blog: Caring for Young Athletes: The Importance of Pediatric Specialists  

The nationwide formula shortage that continues to impact many families’ ability to find formula for their babies and children continues to cause fear, stress, and frustration for many families. Dr. Mary Carol Burkhardt, Dr. Sheela Geraghty, and Registered Dietitian Jeanna Jackson join us to provide families with more information about the ongoing formula shortage. They share strategies families can use to find formulas in the retail space and what to avoid during the shortage. Dr. Sheela Geraghty also discusses how to support breastfeeding mothers, milk sharing, and more. This is an episode you won’t miss! 

For more information on milk banks in your area, please visit: The Human Milk Banking Association of North America.

Infant Formula Shortage FAQs: Help for Parents 

You may have recently seen in headlines, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently investigating several clusters of unexplained hepatitis in children. Dr. Kathy Campbell and Dr. Lara Danziger-Isakov join us to explain what this means and what experts are learning about the cases and potential causes. They also give us a great introduction to what hepatitis is, as well as important advice for parents about reacting to cases in the news. Tune in to this significant episode. You won’t want to miss it! 

For more information about the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, please visit Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition .

For more information about The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Investigation, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/