Young & Healthy

Your Student’s Mental Health During ACT/SAT Season

Heading into the annual testing season, we're dedicating time today to discuss the importance of mental health for students who will take the ACT or SAT tests this year, as well as for younger kids who also have big tests on the horizon. Guest expert, Iranetta Wright, Superintendent of Cincinnati Public Schools, and Cincinnati Children's mental health expert Dr. Brian Kurtz, share their experiences and guidance for parents who are helping their kids through this phase. Parents of high schoolers and middle schoolers this one is a must listen!

Season Two Recap: Our Favorite Episodes of the Year

We are wrapping up Season 2 of Young & Healthy with a lively conversation about the best episodes of the year. Our whole team is together in the studio, including Michael English, Symfhani Fair-Harris, Bo McMillan, and Kate Setter. We discuss some of our favorite episodes and what is in store for season 3. Be sure to follow Cincinnati Children’s on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and share with us some topics you want to hear in season 3. Happy Holidays everyone, and thanks for listening!

Parents, We Need Your Attention: Babies and Kids are Sick, Children’s Hospitals are Full, Wait Times are Long

Viral respiratory illnesses are spreading rapidly in our community. We are seeing higher numbers of both RSV and Flu than are usual this time of year. Plus Covid is still circulating, along with other viruses that typically cause cold-like symptoms. Babies are particularly at risk of serious illness from these viruses and we are asking parents to please pay attention!  
Cincinnati Children’s, and our peer children’s hospitals in other areas are all bursting at the seams, plus Emergency and Urgent Care wait times are incredibly long.  
Dr. Patty Manning-Courtney, Dr. Brad Sobolewski, and Dr. Felicia Scaggs-Huang are with us this week to explain the situation and provide guidance for parents whose kids are sick. They share prevention measures all families can take, and extra precautions parents of infants need to keep in mind, as RSV can quickly turn into bronchiolitis – a serious respiratory illness. 
Please help us get this information to as many parents as possible, and we humbly ask for your patience as we are working hard every day to ensure kids have the care they need. 

The Power of Movement: Pediatric PT and the Magic of Be.Well

Watching your kids say yes to something new and challenging, is an incredibly rewarding moment as a parent. With the help of be.well, more kids in our area are able to experience those magical moments.  
Today on Young & Healthy, pediatric PTs and be.well’s co-directors, Dr. Jennifer Angeli and Dr. Danny Meyer, join us to talk about the importance of movement for children and tell us more about the experiences they are making possible for their patients.  
Spoiler alert: physical limitations become an afterthought and kids are finding new things they love to do! The origin story is a single patient and today there are hundreds who are learning new skills, meeting new people and becoming more confident in their bodies. Plus, there are opportunities to volunteer and support this work. This is a program you want to know more about! 
To receive announcements on the be.well program, please text the characters “bewell” to the number 66866.  
For more information on be.well: Wellness Programs  
If you are interested in supporting be.well through active volunteerism, subscribe to our volunteer registry. 

Food Allergies: Oral Immunotherapy Treatment, Teal Pumpkin Project and More!

The holiday season is upon us, and this often means gatherings and celebrations with food. These gatherings and events can be stressful and dangerous for children who have food allergies. This week we we are pleased to welcome three food allergy experts.   
First, Christa Mills, food allergy coordinator and Registered Nurse, shares how we can all take part in the teal pumpkin project and shares some tips for inclusivity around the holidays. Next, Dr. Amal Assa’ad answers all of our questions about food allergies, symptoms, and treatments. She also shares what parents should do if their child has an allergic reaction. Our final conversation is with Dr. Justin Schwartz, a pediatric allergist who is an expert in oral immunotherapy for food allergies. We dive into what is oral immunotherapy treatment, the benefits of OIT, and who would make a good candidate for this type of treatment.   
To learn more about the Division of Allergy and Immunology, please visit https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/service/a/allergy-immunology