What's a Big Sis to do if her newborn baby brother cannot come home from the hospital immediately? Take a visit to the NICU!In this episode we have the immense privilege of chatting with neonatologist Dr Terri Major-Kincade about her new children's picture book, 'Big Sis Visits the NICU'. Dr Terri has had over 20 years of experience working in several NICUs (or Neonatal Intensive Care Units), taking care of babies who are born prematurely, or those who are too sick to be cared for at home. Having a child or sibling in the NICU can be a scary experience, but Dr Terri is passionate about making sure families (including siblings!) are able to stay actively involved and bond with their baby through that process. For more information about Dr Terri Major-Kincade and her books, or to book a speaking engagement, please visit www.drterrimd.comResources for NICU Parents:Below are some excellent resources that provide education,  support and community for families who have a child in the NICU March of DIMES NICU Family Support  (https://www.marchofdimes.org/baby/the-nicu-family-support-program.aspx)Hand to Hold(https://handtohold.org/nicu-family-support/nicu-family-support-groups/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw8amWBhCYARIsADqZJoWGmBdOau5_o91lvwkrWarLxroPO4zQuLd1Lg-UOufOZRr0agsCh14aAv80EALw_wcB)NICU Helping Handshttps://nicuhelpinghands.org/Graham's Foundationhttps://grahamsfoundation.org/PeekabooICU.nethttps://www.peekabooicu.com/

There's a thief on the loose, and he's stealing from ' the greatest bank in the world' - the Food Bank! Can Nelson and his friends stop the crook and keep the food bank stocked and running? In this episode we talk about food insecurity, its effect on child health, and some important resources that help to address child hunger.Book:'The Great Food Bank Heist' by Onjali RaufResources:Feeding America - Hunger Relief Programs(https://www.feedingamerica.org/our-work/hunger-relief-programs)Feeding America is a nationwide network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs. They provide food and support to over 40 million people annually.Public Assistance Programs(https://www.publicservicedegrees.org/public-assistance/food-security-hunger-help/)Detailed information about food insecurity in America, with dozens of resources for anyone who needs help, along with eligibility criteria and steps for applyingNo Kid Hungry - Find Free Meals(https://www.nokidhungry.org/find-free-meals)Resource Map: you can enter an address to find free, healthy meals being served by organizations in your community. You can also find these resources by texting the word FOOD to 304-304.

June 3rd-5th 2022 is #WearOrange Weekend! While I am excited to wear my favorite color for three days straight, I am saddened by what it represents - National Gun Violence Awareness Day (June 3rd) and #WearOrange weekend commemorate the 40,000 people who die yearly in America from gun violence.In this episode, we talk about:-  the problem of gun violence in America, - the impact of gun violence on children, and on children's health- talking to children in the aftermath of a tragedy- what we can do to keep kids safe Book:A Terrible Thing Happened - Margaret HolmesResources on Gun Safety and Advocacy:Every Town: Solutions (www.everytown.org/solutions)- Every Town Against Gun Safety is 'the largest gun violence prevention organization in America', and their mission is to end gun violence and save lives. Here you will find information on evidence-based policies to decrease gun violence, resources to support gun violence survivors, and much more.Sandy Hook Promise (https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/our-programs/program-overview/) - Sandy Hook Promise is a 'national nonprofit organization founded and led by several family members whose loved ones were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.' Sandy Hook's Learning Center offers training programs that teach students and educators how to identify at-risk behaviors and intervene to get help in order to prevent school violence, shootings, and other harmful acts. They also emphasize creating a more inclusive and connected culture in schoolsGuns in the Home: Keeping Kids Safe(https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/Handguns-in-the-Home.aspx) - See guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics about keeping children safe when there are guns in the home

The thing about Georgie is that... well, there’s not just ONE thing about Georgie. But the first thing people tend to notice is his height, because Georgie has dwarfism. Listen in to this episode to hear more about dwarfism, and adapting when things are different.Book:The Thing About Georgie - Lisa GraffOther picture books:Not too big, Not too small, Just right for me! - Jimmy and Darlene KorpaiMummy, There’s a New Girl - Danielle WebbResources:Little People of America - Little People of America (LPA) is a nonprofit organization that provides support and information to people of short stature and their families.Dwarfism in School - Great powerpoint outlining educational rights and potential accommodations for a child with dwarfism. (https://www.lpaonline.org/assets/documents/School%20Accommodations%20LPA.ppt)Adaptive Products - https://www.lpaonline.org/adaptive-products-

Many children will experience bullying at some point growing up, particularly if they are ‘different’ in some way. Tune in to today’s episode as we chat with our guest, Iva Ballou, about her experiences growing up with bilateral cleft palate, her struggles with bullying and insecurity, and her mission to help others overcome those same challenges.(Watch this episode on Youtube:  https://youtu.be/RwpOLuOUDQY  )Iva Ballou is a Cleft confidence coach and transformational speaker. She is the founder of RealSophisticatedJoy, a company that empowers thoseaffected by cleft and craniofacial differences to pivot from Contempt toConfidence in their cleft journey, so that they can live a life filled with real,sophisticated joy!To learn more about Iva, her confidence coaching program, or her book ‘Bully Who?’, please visit www.realsophisticatedjoy.com, or follow @realsophisticatedjoy on social media.  For more on Bullying: How to Talk about bullying: https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/how-to-talk-about-bullying#how-to-talkFor more on Cleft palate: check out Episode 15, and the book ‘Jack’s New Smile’ - by Ruth Trivelpiece, Suzanne West, and Jennifer Rhodes.

Come join in a bit of April Fool's Fun as we chat with Pauly the Clown about spreading laughter and empowering children through 'circus wellness'.(Watch this episode on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/vjka-cFIQpI)Paul Hallinan Miller is a professional clown with more than a red nose and big shoes - he's also got big ideas. Since touring with the Ringling Bros (in lieu of attending his senior year of college), Paul has worked with children in a variety of health-related settings, developing his concept of circus wellness.  In 2009, he founded Circus Mojo, a circus arts program for children and adults.Paul is now working towards creating 'The Institute of Social Circus & Vocational Training Center L3C'. This social venture will be the first training center in the world dedicated to teaching the circus techniques, team building skills and social work principles for the purposes of training, educating and meeting the social service needs of hospitalized individuals, youth in detention or in other institutionalized settings.To learn more about Paul Miller and his circus wellness projects, please visit www.circusmojo.com or follow @circusmojo on Instagram or Twitter******* The Storytime Clinic is a biweekly podcast, hosted by pediatrician Dr Mfon Umoren, which highlights children's books featuring characters with health conditions (with the occasional interview episode featuring a guest with an interest in children's health). The goal of the podcast is to help us all better understand and support children with health conditions. Connect with us! @storytimeclinic  on Twitter and InstagramWebsite: www.storytimeclinic.com  Podcast available on most podcast players: www.storytimeclinic.com/subscribe

In this guest interview episode, I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Dr Saneisha Roberts about her first children’s book, ‘Amari goes to the Doctor’. Going to the doctor can be a nerve-wracking experience for many children. 'Amari goes to the Doctor' is a picture book that aims to relieve this anxiety by showing children what they can expect from their doctor's visit - the people, the instruments, the physical exam, and more! Listen in to this dynamic episode as we discuss:- Dr Roberts’ journey towards becoming a pediatrician - How the idea for ‘Amari goes to the Doctor’ came about - The importance of representation of diverse characters in children’s books - The talent behind all the beautiful illustrations - Dr Roberts’ goal for every child visiting the doctor - How physicians and other healthcare workers can support a child’s emotional and mental health ...and much more!   To watch this interview on Youtube, click here.To learn more about ‘Amari Goes to the Doctor’ and to get your copy, visit www.saneisharoberts.comYou can also stay updated by following @amarigoesotothedoctor on InstagramTo learn more about the illustrator Dr. Joshua Okoro-Sokoh, and to get in touch for any illustration needs, follow him at @joshart2020 on Instagram  

In this episode, we are getting down and dirty with the greatest of mythical creatures - the DRAGON!!! ...A dragon with ADHD, that is. Today, we find out what it looks like when a dragon (or a human child) has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.Books: A Dragon with ADHD, by Steve Herman

Valentine's Day may be behind us, but we've still got hearts on our minds...tiny hearts, that is! In today's episode, we will be learning about congenital heart defects - these happen when a child's heart does not develop properly before birth.Book:Hank the Heart - by Dr John Hutton and Dr Ryan MooreResources:Mended Little Hearts - a nonprofit organization providing hope and support, creating awareness and being a strong voice for CHD families everywhere.MyHeart Visit - a peer support network for patients and families"Sometimes patients, parents and caregivers need to talk to someone who has already faced a similar diagnosis, procedure or surgery, or has learned to live with heart disease or a congenital heart defect—someone who truly understands them. Now, you can request a “visit” from a trained volunteer who can listen and give support because they are patients, parents and caregivers themselves."Support:Consider sending a 'Bravery Bag' to a family. -  "The Mended Hearts, Inc. began the Bravery Bag Program in 2014 under its Mended Little Hearts® program to support families with children in the hospital for heart surgery or other medical procedures. Bravery Bags are filled with toiletry items, comfort items, fun items, and educational resources. The provide families with some of the things they may need during a hospital stay, but more importantly, they let the family know they are not alone—that there are people out there who care about them and are there to support them."

What exactly is melanin, and what happens when it's missing? In this episode, we talk about the roots of  color - skin color, hair color and eye color, that is. Then we'll dive into two children's books featuring characters with albinism - a genetic condition caused by lack of melanin.Books: Golden Like Me - Brandi M. GreenA Blind Guide to Stinkville - Beth VrabelResources:National Organization for Albinism and Hyperpigmentation - NOAH is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide accurate and authoritative information about all aspects of living with albinism, and to provide a place where people with albinism and their families, in the United States and Canada, can find acceptance, support and fellowship.  (http://albinism.org)Beyond Suncare - A nonprofit organization focused on the health and wellbeing of people with albinism in Africa. Their mission: "We go beyond sun protection to ensure that no person with albinism dies unnecessarily from skin cancer. We promote their insertion in society through the promotion of more tolerant societies and dignified attention that helps them to raise their self-esteem and self-confidence."