The Pediatrician Next Door - Simple Advice on Parenting and Family Health

Does your child refuse vegetables, survive on crackers, or dislike foods they loved last week? The secret to raising an adventurous eater is to stop trying so hard to make them eat.  Dr. Wendy talks with educator and TEDx speaker Katie Kimball about a surprisingly simple approach to picky eating.  Plus, should you let your child snack if they refuse dinner? Katie shares practical strategies you can try tonight to make mealtimes less stressful for everyone.  Order The Picky Eater Playbook, or visit Katie Kimball at Raising Healthy Families to learn more.    Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A shrinking baby? A kid sprouting werewolf claws? A child hearing mysterious voices? These are all real cases! In this special Halloween encore, we’re digging up one of our most popular episodes - our very first Halloween special! I’ve got four bizarre cases of kids with symptoms that baffled everyone. Can you solve the mysteries before I reveal the diagnoses?  Still craving more creepy medical mysteries? Check out our other Halloween specials:   Episode 88: [Listen here]  Episode 139: [Listen here]      Send your questions to [email protected] or submit at drwendyhunter.com  Find products from the show on the shop page.     More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: drwendyhunter.com   Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kids are going to get sick, especially when they spend their days surrounded by other kids. But some strategies can reduce how often kids get sick.  I’ll look at popular “immune boosters” like vitamin C, zinc, elderberry, and echinacea and explain which are worth considering - and which aren’t.  Here’s the Echinacea product that might work: Echinoforce Junior  And I love this Nasal Spray: Xlear      Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Acne in elementary school?  Puberty may be starting earlier than it did a generation ago but some of the changes parents associate with puberty aren't signs that true puberty has begun.  Dr. Wendy explains the two different hormonal processes behind puberty, the first signs of true puberty in girls and boys, and why your child's growth chart may tell your pediatrician more than pubic hair or body odor.  Learn what's behind the trend toward earlier puberty, and what happens when puberty starts too soon.  Plus: How can doctors pause puberty - and what happens when they do?        Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Would your child be happier and more successful if they changed schools?  In this episode, I share the four things I think matter most when deciding whether a school is a good fit and three questions to ask before making a change:  What exactly isn't working?   Have you tried to fix the problem where your child is now?   Is your child simply struggling or are they deteriorating?  There are more choices than ever: traditional public and private schools, charter schools, homeschooling, online programs, microschools, learning pods and more. But having more options can make it even harder to know what’s actually right for your child.   The highest-ranked school isn't necessarily the best school for your child. The goal is to find an environment where your child can belong, learn, build relationships, handle challenges and thrive.    Guest: Joshua Goodman, Phd  GreatSchools school search NCES school finder U.S. Department of Education school-choice resources    Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How safe is your child when they’re online - and do you really know what they’re seeing?  This week, I’m sharing an episode from my colleague Elise Fallucco, MD, child and adolescent psychiatrist and host of ADHD, Anxiety and More: Child Mental Health for Pediatrics. She talks with a tech-industry insider about the online risks parents may not realize their children are encountering.  Learn how to balance the benefits of technology with risks like cyberbullying, violent content, and grooming; how to create a practical family tech contract; and why keeping screens out of the bedroom may be the single most important rule for online safety.  This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. For Part 2 - including parental controls, hidden app risks, and alternatives to smartphones – listen to episode Keeping Kids Safer Online with Tech-Insider Ashley of ADHD, Anxiety and More: Child Mental Health for Pediatrics.      Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever wondered if that trendy treatment everyone is talking about is legitimate?  From leucovorin for autism and antihistamines for ADHD to magnesium, melatonin, red light therapy, and essential oils, some popular treatments have surprising science behind them - while others may be mostly hype.  Dr. Wendy Hunter looks at the evidence and shares four simple questions parents can use to evaluate the next health claim that shows up in their social media feed.    My favorite natural treatment: IBGard Peppermint Capsules for gut health (and IBS).       Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does your child have meltdowns, worries, or difficult days? Sometimes that's a normal part of growing up. Sometimes it's a sign they need extra support.  Child psychologist Jerry Weichman, Ph.D. helps parents navigate the confusing world of children's mental health. Learn how to choose a therapist, when a neuropsychological evaluation is helpful, and how to know if medication should be part of treatment.  You'll also learn simple, practical ways parents can help their children build resilience and thrive. For more listen to the Raising Families Podcast.  Find a therapist at psychologytoday.com    Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do kids get so many rashes? One of the best ways to understand skin is by starting with one of the most common childhood problems: diaper rash!  Discover how the science of skin can help keep your whole family's skin healthy. The simple principles of healthy skin apply to babies, kids, teens, and adults alike.  Learn how the skin barrier protects us, the surprising ways we accidentally damage it, and what different rashes reveal about the immune system.  Whether you're caring for a newborn with diaper rash or trying to solve your older child's latest mystery rash, this episode will change the way you think about skin.        Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is bedtime the hardest part of your day? If every night feels like a negotiation, your child may have what pediatricians call Behavioral Insomnia of Childhood - one of the most common sleep problems that most parents have never heard of.  In this episode, Dr. Wendy explains why some children can't fall asleep without a parent in the room, while others seem determined to delay bedtime at all costs. You'll learn the simple science behind why consistency works, why bedtime often gets worse before it gets better, and practical strategies you can start using tonight to help everyone get more sleep.  Best online Sleep Advice at babysleep.com  Buy this Bedtime Chart    Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices