Artemis II: From the Moon to Medicine — Inside NASA's AVATAR Experiment with Dr. Lisa Carnell

In this episode of Pediatrics Now, host Holly Wayment interviews adolescent medicine specialist Dr. Jelina Castillo. They discuss how eating disorders are diagnosed, when they become medical emergencies, and why rates may be rising amid cultural pressures and weight bias. Dr. Castillo explains concerns around GLP‑1 medications, potential misuse by teens, and unknown long‑term effects. She offers practical advice on balanced nutrition, the importance of hydration and breakfast, and how sports pressure can lead to relative energy deficiency. The conversation includes guidance for parents on open communication and medication safety, plus a personal note on Dr. Castillo’s training and recent trip to Japan where she climbed Mt. Fuji.

In this episode Holly interviews Jim Brookshire, Clinical Director of the Cranial Remolding Program, about positional skull deformities in infants, helmet therapy, and how his research helped establish current treatment standards. They a major breakthrough: Medicaid coverage plus ideal timing (typically 4–6 months), helmet wear and care, common myths, and practical advice for parents.

Host Holly Wayment takes you right outside of the Operating Room after life changing surgery for a baby.  Dr. Richard Thomson performs cleft lip and palate repair on an infant at University Hospital and explains why timing—lip around three months, palate before the baby starts speaking—is critical for feeding and long-term speech outcomes. The episode highlights the multidisciplinary follow-up (speech therapy, ENT, audiology, orthodontics), potential later procedures, and supportive programs like Fresh Start and Austin Smiles that help families access care.

Dr. Deena Sutter joins Pediatrics Now to explain the recent foodborne illness outbreaks. The episode offers practical guidance for families: how to rinse and handle produce, why pre-packaged salads and herbs can be riskier, precautions for immunocompromised children, and when to watch for recalls or seek care. Plus: what really worries her that some people ingest.

A recent case involving the death of a teenage cheerleader has prompted a review of energy drinks and cardiovascular risks for children and adolescents. These drinks are increasingly popular, sold in school vending machines, and many high schools now offer coffee bars, giving teens easy access to high-caffeine beverages. Host Holly Wayment talks to pediatric cardiologist Elaine Maldonado, who warns that high caffeine and stimulant intake can cause palpitations, fast heart rates, chest pain, and may worsen undiagnosed heart conditions. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that children should not consume energy drinks, and parents are encouraged to promote sleep, hydration, regular meals, exercise, and to seek urgent care for persistent rapid heart rate or chest pain.

Host Holly Wayment talks to this pediatric neurosurgeon and mom who explains why it's important to have a baby's unusually shaped head checked early.   She also shares how raising a child with special needs deepened her empathy for families.

Holly Wayment and Dr. J.B. Cantey  discuss salmonella in babies and children, explaining why infants are at higher risk of sepsis, common sources of salmonella (animals, food, daycare), and the symptoms to watch for. They cover prevention tips—hand hygiene, safe food preparation, pet precautions—hydration guidance, and clear warning signs (fever, decreased intake, lethargy, bloody stools or seizures) that mean you should seek urgent medical care.

This episode host Holly Wayment interviews spurs orthopaedic surgeon Leah Brown and she explains how to recognize and initially assess concussions in youth, including common early signs such as headache, mental fog, nausea, and light or noise sensitivity, and reminds listeners that concussions can happen during play, biking, and everyday activities. It stresses the importance of not returning to play while symptomatic to avoid a dangerous second hit, lists red flags that require emergency care, and urges parents, coaches, and providers to trust medical guidance and prioritize brain health over performance.

In this episode Host Holly Wayment and infectious disease doctor Deena  Sutter explain the recent cruise outbreak involving the Andes strain of hantavirus, why public risk is considered low, and what makes this strain unusual due to rare person-to-person spread. Dr. Sutter and Wayment review symptoms, incubation times, prevention tips (rodent control, safe cleanup, hand hygiene), and how clinicians and parents should monitor exposed people—reassuring families while emphasizing public health vigilance.

Host Holly Wayment and Dr. Lisa Carnell of NASA discuss how the recent moon mission will improve pediatric care.  The  Avatar bone marrow organ chips flown on Artemis II, personalized from astronaut blood to study radiation and deep-space effects on human tissues will change healthcare as we know it.  Wayment and Carnell discuss how this will directly personalize care. The episode explains how these microphysiological systems can protect astronauts, guide long-duration mission health strategies, and translate to improved, less invasive pediatric care and cancer treatments on Earth.