NOVA

In the premiere episode of Parentalogic, hosts Dr. Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft break down the breakdown. Equipped with an almost accurate portobello mushroom brain model, the duo demonstrates what researchers think is happening in your toddler’s brain, showing how perceptions of injustice—like not getting a cookie—explode into outrage when brain signals temporarily spiral out of control.

Dr. Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft break down the breakdown.

Why Toddlers Throw Tantrums

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Patrick J. McGovern Foundation

In the premiere episode of Parentalogic, hosts Dr. Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft break down the breakdown. Equipped with an almost accurate portobello mushroom brain model, the duo demonstrates what researchers think is happening in your toddler’s brain, showing how perceptions of injustice—like not getting a cookie—explode into outrage when brain signals temporarily spiral out of control.First, a toddler’s brain stem receives emotional input from the rest of the body. Then, the amygdala gets word of this perceived injustice or threat and sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus, triggering an elevated heart rate and blood pressure. The resulting reactions—anger, fear, stress, or a combination of all three—are important survival instincts. But when these reactions spiral out of control in the snack aisle, as a parent or caretaker, all you may feel is helplessness.It isn’t until kids are around 4 years old that the prefrontal cortex, the self-regulation traffic cop of the brain, starts to control these emotions and halt the adrenaline-fueled meltdown. What does this all mean? There’s hope in sight: Your kid won’t be a grocery store gremlin forever.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Imagine this: You’re in the grocery store in the snack aisle. Seemingly out of nowhere, your otherwise cheerful toddler launches into a full-blown meltdown. It’s a temper tantrum—a kicking, crying, red-faced temper tantrum. But why?

Imagine this: You’re in the grocery store in the snack aisle. Seemingly out of nowhere, your otherwise cheerful toddler launches into a full-blown meltdown. It’s a temper tantrum—a kicking, crying, red-faced temper tantrum. But why?

Body & Brain

Why Toddlers Throw TantrumsPublished: July 27, 2020Mother: Margaret, have some chicken, have some chicken. Does that make you feel better? Margaret.Kid: I want chocolate milk!Bethany Van Delft: This is what happens. Here’s my son, my beautiful, happy son. Happy, happy, happy, happy. And then the wind changes, and then all of a sudden, not happy, not happy, not happy. And then out of nowhere, there’s my little sweetie, melted down. What’s happening in the brain?Alok Patel: Children who are younger than kindergarten age—the part of the brain that controls self-regulation is still under construction. So in other words, children can feel a sense of anger or injustice over something like not getting a cookie or their favorite toy. Doesn’t happen in all kids but for the many kids who do throw tantrums, their feelings of anger and sadness take control of their behavior. And this overblown reaction usually comes in two emotional responses. The first one is the anger, hence the word “temper” in “temper tantrum.”Bethany Van Delft: Ok.Alok Patel: And then comes sadness. Usually the anger dissipates before the sadness.Bethany Van Delft: Nico gets sad. He does, he has full-on fits and then he needs momma. He wants a little hug. It’s my favorite part.Alok Patel: All these emotions we’re talking about though—the anger and the anxiety and the fear and the stress—those are all survival instincts in us. We have to have those in order to stay alive. These young brains don’t know how to regulate these instincts and don’t know how to take in the information from the outside world and form a rational response to it. Like, “it’s a cookie, it’s okay, I don’t need to scream.” That part of the brain’s not there yet.Bethany Van Delft: Or like, “Mother, I really do want that cookie.”Alok Patel: Some researchers think tantrum reactions evolved to capture the attention of parents or caretakers, with the anger functioning to get the parents to do what the kid wants. And the sadness functioning to gain a parent’s sympathy or comfort.Bethany Van Delft: So what’s happening in the brain is nothing like what’s happening on the sidewalk. Alok Patel: To illustrate, we have a lovely model brain here.Bethany Van Delft: Oh, that is a mushroom.Alok Patel: We’re gonna split the brain in half…Bethany Van Delft: Oh, brain surgery today.Alok Patel: To make two hemispheres because we’re being super realistic.Bethany Van Delft: I will use my imagination.Alok Patel: Also, this looks delicious. I really like portobello mushroom. Okay, now we have a cross-section of our mushroom brain. Obviously here, this is the brainstem.Bethany Van Delft: Of course.Alok Patel: This is going to send signals from the brain to the rest of the body. If only we had some paint...Bethany Van Delft: Paint?Alok Pateb : To delineate it.Bethany Van Delft: Here you go.Alok Patel: Awesome. Blue for brainstem?Bethany Van Delft: Sure.Alok Patel: And right here is the amygdala, maybe pink? Now, this is an almond-shaped little thing in the brain.Bethany Van Delft: Little tiny?Alok Patel: Little tiny. That’s good. Okay, here’s what we think is going on. The amygdala is going to get emotional input of some type of threat or some type of injustice.Kid: This is injustice!Alok Patel: It then sends a distress signal for things like fear, anxiety, or stress to the hypothalamus, which is… mushroom brain… maybe it’s right here. There you go. The hypothalamus is like…Bethany Van Delft: Aw, freak out!Alok Patel: The hypothalamus is like, “We need to act,” and will start raising heart rate, blood pressure, and all these other processes that include a rise in adrenaline and related hormones, like the Hulk, in the Avengers movies. And it sends signals down through the brainstem to the body. And you have a full-blown meltdown in the form of a tantrum. But when kids turn about four, the prefrontal cortex helps moderate behavior. Think of it as like a traffic cop in the brain that’ll help kids with decision making. The prefrontal cortex is right up here, and can help kids regulate their emotions. In other words, some type of threat signal comes in. And the prefrontal cortex will take a step back and say, “Hold on, let’s think about this before we have an exaggerated response.” So kindergarteners should be better at controlling their emotions and handling the ups and downs of their dynamic life.Bethany Van Delft: So there is an end in sight. At some point, Nico’s PFC will turn into a super-chill person and be like, “Whoa, whoa, whoa, man. You don’t need that cookie right now.”Alok Patel: The struggle is real when you’re two or three. If you want to throw a temper tantrum, go for it. If you lost your blocks, you know what, let the world know.Bethany Van Delft: We’re talking to two and three-year-olds now.Alok Patel: I am. I’m literally talking directly to them. If you want to watch Parentalogic and your parent is like, “No,” that’s pediatrician-approved because you shouldn’t be on a screen anyway.

Hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft get into the bowels of babies’ and childrens’ guts — and try to solve the mysteries of diarrhea, constipation, and “poop diaper.” Using everything from paint swatches to cupcakes and candies, they break down what different poop colors and textures might mean, demystifying everything that could spark curiosity—or concern—in a parent or caregiver.

What is it? Why is it (usually) brown? And what makes a poop healthy or unhealthy?

What Should Your Kids' Poop Look Like?

In this Parentalogic episode, hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft get into the bowels of babies’ and childrens’ bowel movements — and try to solve the mystery of diarrhea, constipation, and “poop diaper.” Using a variety of models including paint chips, chocolate frosting and candies, they break down what different poop colors and textures might mean, demystifying everything that could spark curiosity — or utter concern — in a parent or caregiver. But first, what is poop? Most of its solid material is stuff your or your little one’s body can’t break down: fiber and cellulose. In addition, poop has fats, mucus, tons of bacterial cells (dead or alive), and bilirubin, a molecule that old or broken down red blood cells release. Bilirubin goes through the liver and gets secreted into the gut, where bacteria metabolize it. This is what turns poop BROWN. You may have noticed, however, that kids’ poop can come in many other colors (red, dark green, blue, or white ring a bell?).Some of these colors aren’t worth worrying about. Anything in the brown or dark green spectrum is A-OK. And sometimes foods, whether it’s healthy stuff like beets or special candy treats, can produce a benignly bright stool. Other colors, like black or white, are generally worth a doctor’s visit. (The shape of poo provides lots of information, too, Alok points out.)If you’ve ever wondered why your kid’s poop is round, runny, or dolphin-shaped, or what could possibly turn your little one’s stool bright blue (dare we say dolphin-colored?!), Alok and Bethany have your back — so you can keep attending to your child’s rear.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Poop! Everyone, including every baby and kid, does it. But what’s in it? Why is it (usually) brown? And what makes a poop healthy or unhealthy?

Poop! Everyone, including every baby and kid, does it. But what’s in it? Why is it (usually) brown? And what makes a poop healthy or unhealthy?

What Should Your Kids' Poop Look Like?Published: August 3, 2020Bethany Van Delft: Do you know how many times I’ve opened my kid’s diaper to find another diaper made of poop?Alok Patel: Like a poop diaper?Bethany Van Delft: Yeah, like a poop diaper under the diaper. What is poop?Kid 1: Fluffy stuff.Kid 2: Ice cream.Kid 3: Boki boki.Ari Daniel: Broccoli?Kid 3: Yeah.Kid 4: Red peppers. Green peppers: Yellow peppers. Orange peppers. Kid 5: When you eat something, it’s poop.Alok Patel: Most of the solid material in poop is stuff you can’t break down—fiber, cellulose. In addition, poop even has fats, mucus. About a third of the solid material is bacterial cells—dead or alive—that used to reside in our gut.Bethany Van Delft: So basically, it’s just a giant mess.Alok Patel: But a giant mess with one more ingredient, and it comes from your blood! Red blood cells, when they’re old and start to break down, release a molecule called bilirubin. This heads to the liver where it then gets secreted into the gut. Your gut bacteria metabolize it, and part of it turns your poop brown. Now you know.Kid 6: Eww.Bethany Van Delft: But Alok, all poop is not brown. Like, I’ve seen all kinds of colors coming out of my kid’s butt.Alok Patel: Well, hopefully not all of them. But you’re right. Poop does come in a spectrum of colors, and to give you a better idea of this, let’s take a field trip. Kids’ poop comes in so many different colors. So I’m at a hardware store and we’re gonna run through some paint colors to help you understand what’s normal and what’s not when it comes to the color of your kid’s poop. So often, poop color will be determined by what your baby or kid is eating. If your baby is pooping in this range of colors, you’re all good. But other things like candy, fruit snacks, certain medications, carrots, beets can actually change your kid’s poop. Once, when I was in elementary school, I had one of those old school Flintstone push pops for lunch. And turned my poop this color—blue lagoon, and really freaked me out. God, I miss the ’90s. Kid 7: Yech!Alok Patel: If you see red poop in your baby’s diaper, or if your kid is like, “Hey, Mom, my poop is black,” call your pediatrician. Cause it could be a sign of bleeding. And also the shade of red from bright red to dark can give doctors a hint as to where the potential bleeding is coming from. Now blood that’s really old might actually look black. But if you see black stool, make sure you take a close look because it could actually just be dark green, which is normal. Now white or clay-colored stool can also be concerning—yes, poop can turn white, or in medical lingo, an acholic stool. Any poop that falls in this creamy spectrum. Now this could mean that there’s a problem with your kid’s hepatobiliary system. By that, I mean the liver or the ducts that secrete bilirubin into the gut. This could mean liver disease or a blockage. Now remember, bilirubin turns poop brown so without it, poop actually looks white. If you see this, definitely call your doctor.Bethany Van Delft: Did I tell you how much my son loves his poop?Alok Patel: No.Bethany Van Delft: He loves his poop. Every time he poops, he looks in the potty. And he names them. He gives them all names. So like, one time he looks in the potty and he’s like, “There’s a dolphin, that one’s rocks, that’s a pangolin.” He’s bougie.Alok Patel: I’m impressed.Bethany Van Delft: The pangolin one—I mean, I’ll fight him on that. It wasn’t exactly like a pangolin, but… Alok Patel: Is he naming them off a whim, or is he paying attention to the consistency?Bethany Van Delft: He’s looking at the shape.Alok Patel: Here’s the important part—is that the consistency of children’s poop, and it doesn’t matter if it comes out in the form of a pangolin or a dolphin, gives us a hint as to how long it’s been hanging out in the GI tract. Early on in digestion, things are very juicy. There’s a lot of liquid involved. There’s beverages, there’s saliva, gastric acid, and it all winds up in the small intestine. Here, a lot of the water and nutrients get reabsorbed. Then we move down to the large intestine. And even more water gets reabsorbed. With the right timing, the right pace, poop should come out soft and smooth.Bethany Van Delft: Um, it’s not always like that, though, right? What about, what about when it’s less like poop and more like oatmeal soup?Alok Patel: If the poop is accelerating way too fast through the intestine, not a lot of water gets reabsorbed, you end up with more water in the stool, and possibly—diarrhea.Bethany Van Delft: Okay, so that’s what it is. It’s like food just like bolting through your system.Alok Patel: Yeah, not enough water gets reabsorbed.Bethany Van Delft: Can’t catch me.Alok Patel: Or the food’s not being broken down properly. And the reason why this is a problem, not just because it’s a mess, is because this could lead to dehydration, loss of a lot of liquids, and possibly even shock. There’s actually a lot of different causes of diarrhea. It’s not that simple.Bethany Van Delft: Nothing ever is. What if it’s moving too slow, like what if the poop is moving like rush hour traffic in Midtown?Alok Patel: If it’s hanging out for too long, too much water can actually get reabsorbed, it gets really hard, and children can get… constipated. Now in really young babies, constipation is not that common. But once infants start eating solid food, it can happen. It’s not usually a big deal. Your doctor might just recommend you introduce a little more fiber into baby’s diet. This could be in the form of prune juice or apple juice. Because fiber will draw more water into the gut, making poop easier to pass. Now if constipation gets really bad, stool can actually harden and form a ball, and stool will leak around it. Kind of like a rectal plug.Kid 8: Eee-ach.Bethany Van Delft: Rectal plug? Alok Patel: Rectal plug.Bethany Van Delft: Dude, tell me that there’s a better name for it than “rectal plug.”Alok Patel: There is. Encopresis!Bethany Van Delft: That’s better!Alok Patel: Your doctor might suggest you give your child more fiber or a laxative to clear the plug and help stool flow again. But please, always talk to your doctor before giving your kid any laxatives.Bethany Van Delft: That’s right. Do not go on the Internet, asking a bunch of strangers about rectal plugs. Call your pediatrician. Dude, you and your use of stool as a verb.Alok Patel: Uh, because stool’s like the most universal verb. Past tense: Jimmy stooled. Transitive verb: Jimmy stooled his pants. Intransitive verb: Jimmy stools. Adjective: Jimmy has stooly pants. Past participle: Jimmy’s—Bethany Van Delft: Alright. Alright alright alright.

Even without a pandemic going on, children’s fevers can be concerning—and sometimes downright confusing—for parents and caretakers. Hosts Dr. Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft answer all of your burning questions: What do you do if your kid has a fever? When should you call your doctor, bring your child to a hospital, or just stay home? Do ice baths actually work? And what exactly is a fever?

Your child’s temperature is rising. They have a shiver. Is this fever worth worrying over?

When to Worry (and not Worry) About Your Child's Fever

Even outside the era of COVID-19, childhood fevers can be concerning — and sometimes downright confusing — for parents and caretakers. In this episode of Parentalogic, hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft answer all of your burning questions: What do you do if your kid has a fever? When should you call your doctor, bring your child to a hospital, or just stay home? Do ice baths actually work? And what exactly is a fever?Together, the duo rebrands fever’s bad image — “So basically, [childrens’] immune systems are setting up the right scenario to go to battle,” Alok, who’s a pediatrician, says — and explains exactly what happens to your child when they get sick. First, pyrogens make their way to the brain’s hypothalamus, which acts like a body’s thermostat. Pyrogens are chemicals either from invading pathogens, like influenza or SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the current pandemic, or triggered from the immune system. Once in the hypothalamus, pyrogens drive up the body’s temperature. But what’s the point? Experts believe that at a slightly elevated temperature, the chemical reactions used by the immune system are more efficient. This gives the immune system a competitive advantage over the virus or bacteria it’s fighting: Lots of microorganisms, it turns out, can’t take the heat. (Microorganisms aren’t the only things that can cause a fever, however. Autoimmune or autoinflammatory conditions, chronic or rheumatologic disease, pneumonia, ear infections, certain medications and vaccinations can all cause fever, too.)And if your child shivers with the onset of a fever, not to worry! It may seem counterintuitive, but shivering is the body’s response to its new, hotter, “set point.”But can fevers get out of control? Can acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and/or ice baths successfully — and safely — reduce your child’s fever? And are fevers in young babies, especially infants less than 3 months old, ever OK? Watch and learn how to best help your child feel better from a fever and keep others around them healthy and safe (hint: stay at home, social distance, and encourage frequent handwashing). Bethany and Alok are here to spill the tea on this hot topic. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Your child’s temperature is rising. They have a shiver. Is this fever worth worrying about?

Your child’s temperature is rising. They have a shiver. Is this fever worth worrying about?

When to Worry (and not Worry) About Your Child's FeverPublished: August 17, 2020Alok Patel: Babies just sit there and they’re like...Bethany Van Delft: And the babies are like, “Yeah, man, Dr. Patel, gimme that spinal tap!”Alok Patel: They’re like, “Gimme sugar water and my pacifier, and you can do whatever you want. I don’t care.”Bethany Van Delft: So what’s happening in my kids when they have a fever? Like what’s happening in their little bodies?Alok Patel: In their little bodies, so basically, their immune systems are setting up the right scenario to go to battle. Pyrogens—pyrogens are these chemicals that are released by either the foreign invaders—bacteria or viruses themselves—or triggered from the immune system to the hypothalamus…Bethany Van Delft: Sound like pyromaniacs.Alok Patel: Kinda like that, right, fire, fever. But pyrogens will go to your hypothalamus… Pyrogens will go to your hypothalamus and drive up the body’s temperature. Now, experts think that at a slightly elevated temperature, the chemical reactions used by the immune system are more efficient. And so the immune system almost gets a competitive advantage over foreign invaders, like some microorganisms, which don’t fare so well at higher temperatures.You see a lot of this in the animal kingdom. Lizards will sometimes even crawl to a place where they can elevate their body temperature to fight off infections.Bethany Van Delft: Like a hot rock?Alok Patel: Like a hot rock.Bethany Van Delft: What about when my kids are shivering and shaking from fever, what’s happening there?Alok Patel: Basically, your body’s internal thermostat has a new setpoint. Your body’s like, “This is where I want to be.” The rest of your body is not quite there yet. The body will react by also trying to generate heat. And so shivering, feeling the chills, so you go and grab blankets because your body is basically trying to warm itself up to get to the new setpoint. Everything is whacked but it’s all in the name of competitive advantage for your immune system over the foreign invaders.Bethany Van Delft: Competitive advantage. Dude, that’s a good rebranding of fever.Alok Patel: Competitive advantage, but while your body’s achieving this...Bethany Van Delft: Like if fever got a PR company and fever was like, “I don’t know, I kinda have a bad image. Could we do something about that?” And a good PR person would be like, “How about competitive advantage to defeat invaders? Fever’s like, “Yeah!!”Scene 2: On CallBethany Van Delft: So this I feel is a mixed message that I’m always hearing. On the one hand, fever is a sign that your body is doing what it’s supposed to fight an infection.Alok Patel: Totally.Bethany Van Delft: On the other hand, we’re told to reduce fevers. Like, which is it? What am I supposed to be doing? Letting the fever do its job, which is what I do? Or reduce the fever?Alok Patel: I don’t think it’s a bad thing to let fevers do their jobs because again, fevers have a certain protective measure to them. Again, there’s a threshold. We want to make sure we understand the underlying reason why your kid has a fever, and that it’s safe to let it run its course… Bethany Van Delft: What are some methods to reducing fever? I know you can use ibuprofen or acetaminophen. How about ice baths? My grandmother used to threaten me with ice baths. Is that still a thing, or is that like back in the day? Is that Model T Fords and ice baths? Do you do that anymore? No more?Alok Patel: I don’t know if we do the full-on professional football player ice bath but it’s certainly okay to try a cooling towel to lower the temperature. Just to make things a little more comfortable.Bethany Van Delft: A cooling towel. That’s a nice compromise.Alok Patel: Because here’s the thing: if you’ve checked in with your doctor and you feel like it’s safe and it’s okay to drop the fever, I get it—fevers make children uncomfortable, their heart rate’s a little faster, they seem fussy.  And you may want to make them feel more comfortable. Experts think acetaminophen may work directly at your body’s thermostat, the hypothalamus, to drop the core temperature. And ibuprofen may block the chemical signals which go there. So they both essentially work in the same endpoint. They tend to work differently in certain children.Bethany Van Delft: When is it super serious? Like, when do you really, really have to worry about a fever?Alok Patel: I know I’ve harped on this 15 times, but if your child looks sincerely ill or is not acting like themselves, I don’t even care what the temperature is. You should check in with the doctor. But specifically talking about a fever, any fever, any fever in young babies, especially under 3 months, is serious unless proven otherwise.And I say serious because in young babies, they’re at a higher risk for getting really bad infections that can affect the brain. It might necessitate blood tests, or even a spinal tap. Which is not a big deal in babies—they take it like champs.Bethany Van Delft: How do you know that?Alok Patel: I’ve done them. And babies just sit there and they’re like...Bethany Van Delft: And the babies are like, “Yeah, man, Dr. Patel, gimme that spinal tap!”Alok Patel: They’re like, “Gimme sugar water and my pacifier, and you can do whatever you want. I don’t care.” Cause here’s the thing, here’s the thing.Bethany Van Delft: What’s the thing?Alok Patel: If people were to call doctors for every single fever, we would get called nonstop. Because kids get fevers all the time. And the majority of infectious fevers, meaning fevers caused by an infection are from viruses. These are mostly things like the common cold—not very serious. But some virus infections can be dangerous, so it’s always best to keep a child with a fever at home, and to protect yourself with basic hygiene, especially hand-washing.The fever, a fever, temperatures, they’re all a symptom. They’re not themselves…Bethany Van Delft: They’re not the illness, it’s not the thing you’re worried about.Alok Patel: It’s not the disease—it’s a symptom.Bethany Van Delft: Okay.Alok Patel: So the things that are gonna cause a fever, so you’re talking about infections like ear infections, pneumonia, UTI, things like that. You also have chronic disease, rheumatologic disease, autoimmune, autoinflammatory conditions. Even certain medications, vaccinations. These can all cause fevers.Bethany Van Delft: A love fever, that’s not legit fever.Alok Patel: Not a legit fever.Bethany Van Delft: What about spring fever?Alok Patel: Not spring fever.Bethany Van Delft: Okay, go back to real fever. Go back to real fever.Alok Patel: Also, not teething. You can get a slightly, maybe a little bit of an elevated body temperature. But you’re not going to get into fever category.Bethany Van Delft: No, teething is because the baby’s teeth are real busy coming out, right? That’s more like, the teeth are trying to come out, and so they are a little bit warmer.Alok Patel: But it’s a cool process inside the body where your immune system actually needs to tell you to get a fever.Bethany Van Delft: Alright. I like when you’re like, “I’m just gonna keep talking Bethany because you are not making sense.” Alok, stop, stop doing yoga. Stop with the yoga. You just came back. Stop with the yoga.Alok Patel: I’m just in the mood. It’s just like, my body’s flowing, I got good energy.Bethany Van Delft: It’s just good.Alok Patel: Yeah.Bethany Van Delft: Sounds like it was good. You can’t stop. Can’t stop, won’t stop those yoga poses.Alok Patel: Addicted to hot yoga.

In this episode of Parentalogic, hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft dive into the wonderful and mysterious world of the human body’s best-catered food: Breastmilk. But for moms who choose not or aren’t able to breastfeed, a question lingers. How does a bottle of formula stack up to the original?  To answer this, Bethany and Alok explore the nutrition of breastmilk and formula milk.

Breastmilk! What’s in it? And how do different formulas on the market compare?

The Science of Breastmilk and Formula

Science of Breastmilk and Formula

In this episode of Parentalogic, hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft dive into the wonderful and mysterious world of the human body’s best-catered food: Breastmilk. It’s got fats, proteins, carbohydrates, water- and fat-soluble vitamins, and antibodies to help your baby fight off infections. It helps promote good gut bacteria growth and prevent bad bacteria growth, and it tastes delicious (to your baby, at least). And almost magically, every mom’s body produces a different recipe of breastmilk specially for every baby.The benefits of breastmilk may even be two-way: Countless studies have investigated the benefits that breastfeeding might confer to moms, such as potentially decreasing the risk of certain cancers and type 2 diabetes. But for moms who choose not or aren’t able to breastfeed, a question lingers. How does a bottle of formula stack up to the original?To answer this, Bethany and Alok explore the nutrition of formula milk. They explain how formula milk is designed to help your baby grow—just in a slightly different way than breastmilk—and touch on the guilty feelings that some moms might feel using formula. If you’re a new parent or guardian who’s gotten deluged with headlines about the so-called right and wrong ways to feed your children, worry no longer: The bottom line, Bethany and Alok say, is that both breastmilk and formula are great options. What matters most is you’re comfortable and your child is getting fed.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Breastmilk! What’s in it? And how do different formulas on the market live up to the nutrition-filled OG?

Breastmilk! What’s in it? And how do different formulas on the market live up to the nutrition-filled OG?

The Science of Breastmilk and FormulaPublished: September 1, 2020Bethany: It was time to pump. I try to do it discreetly. But the sound…&lt;Bethany making sounds.&gt;Bethany: I have something I want to talk about. Alok: Kinda like a  DJ.BUMPERBethany: I have something I want to talk about. I have breasts. That's not it. And no, they make milk. I breastfed my baby. Awesome. And I make the milk, but I don't know what's in the milk. You must know. You must know what's in the milk. Alok: You can probably guess what's in milk. Bethany: Oh, how about fat? Alok: Done.Bethany: Protein.Alok: Awesome. Bethany: Um… riboflavin? The flavin!Alok: Did you just make that up?Bethany: Yeah.Alok: Actually… I actually think riboflavin is vitamin B2… I actually think it might be in breast milk.Bethany: Ding, ding, ding!Alok: You’re most of the way there, right? Breast milk has fats in it, has protein in it. The right ratio to really help with baby digestion, also has carbohydrates in it. Has some fat- and water-soluble vitamins for your growing baby. Has antibodies, which are really cool because it helps your baby fight off infections, especially in that early period when baby immune systems aren't fully developed. And there's also some other really cool features in breast milk to really promote good brain and eye development, to help promote the right type of gut bacteria growth, prevent other bacteria from growing. And this is why we say, you know, breast milk is a catered food because every mom makes a specific composition for her baby and it changes over time.Breastmilk is dynamic, meaning its nutrient composition varies between people and even changes within the same person, between feeds, from day to day, and month to month.Bethany: All right. Here's a test now. And you better get this right. Our friendship is on the line. I'm a mom and I am not able to produce breast milk or I choose not to breastfeed. Is formula a good option? Alok: Yes.Bethany: YES!Alok: Friendship? Bethany: Of course it is! Alok: Friendship still on? Bethany: Yes!Alok: Yes!Bethany: Yes!Alok: The most important thing is that you're feeding your baby. And your baby's getting nutrition. Bethany: So, what’s in.. what’s in formula? Alok: Formula manufacturers are essentially trying to replicate breast milk.Bethany: OK. Alok: Now, they're not going to be able to cater it specifically for every baby. It's not going to be dynamic. And there may not be antibodies in it, but there are so many different types of formulas. Some of them have specifically broken-down proteins - easier for digestion.Bethany: Yeah. Alok: Some that are not cow’s milk based.Bethany: That sounds like a catering company. You can have impossible milk…you can have... Alok: Beyond milk.Bethany: Beyond milk. You can have barrel-aged formula.Alok: So when I work in a newborn nursery, I talk to 15-20 new parents each day. Bethany: I thought you were gonna say newborns. But you say it in baby…Alok &amp; Bethany: &lt;Baby noises.&gt;Alok: They just sit there and go erhhh. But, I talk to moms! And some of them will tell me their specific reasons for not either wanting to or being able to breastfeed. And they almost feel bad for looking at formula.Bethany: Oh, they feel bad. Alok: They feel bad.Bethany: They don’t almost feel bad… moms feel really bad about it.  Alok: Here’s the thing… we dive into what we know about the benefits of breastfeeding, right. I mean we’ve looked at studies. We know children who breastfeed have a lower chance of getting things like ear infections and meningitis. And it promotes healthy brain development. It helps promote healthy eye development. And all of these things for your growing child. And it’s easy to digest.There are also studies that show that breastfeeding may confer some benefits to moms as well. Lower chance of certain cancers, type 2 diabetes. It helps with uterine contraction. However, it doesn’t mean that formula fed kids cannot grow up to live a healthy, successful life. And I think there’s a little bit of a stereotype there. Bethany: There’s a lot of a stereotype there. It’s stressful. You’re looking for answers. And there are all these insane headlines. I mean, how do you interpret all of the information that you find on the Internet? Alok: If you look at some of those studies, and I’m only saying this because people are going to google this topic. Bethany: Yes.Alok: People are going to look this up. Bottom line is – there’s some evidence that breastmilk can have health benefits for your baby, so if you CAN breastfeed your baby – even some of the time – that’s great. Doctors recommend that you do. But if you need to supplement breastfeeding with formula – OR – for whatever reason, you cannot breastfeed – that’s okay. Formula-fed babies can also be healthy babies. You have to look at what you’re able to do, what you’re comfortable doing, your situation, your child.You’ll see a lot of things out there that say like: “Experts recommend that every single mother exclusively breastfeeds her child for the first six months,” but we’re saying if you can’t exclusively breastfeed...Bethany: It’s fine. Your baby is going to be fine. &lt;CREDITS&gt;Bethany: So what’s in formula is mostly the same things as in breastmilk, except not... the breast isn’t there. But who knows, I mean, any day now… What’s in formula?Alok: Any day now like an artificial breast any day now?? Bethany: Yeah like they’ll be on the shelves like.. ok that’s a different.. Let’s do that for the outtakes.

Hosts pediatrician Alok Patel and comedian and mother Bethany Van Delft, with guest star Joe Hanson from "It’s Okay to Be Smart,” unveil that masks, along with social distancing, are a great way to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. How can you help your child dress for success in a face covering, and are any children best off not wearing one?

How can you help your child dress for success in a face covering?

Covid-19: Does Your Kid Really Need a Mask?

In this episode of Parentalogic, hosts pediatrician Alok Patel and comedian and mother Bethany Van Delft, with guest star Joe Hanson from PBS Digital Studios’ “It’s OK to be Smart,” unveil the importance of COVID-19 masks—and offer tips on how to best assist your child in the fight against viral spread and infection. As far as doctors and scientists know, Alok explains, the coronavirus primarily spreads via droplets in a similar way to other respiratory viruses, like the common cold and flu. The point of mask-wearing is to create a filter so these droplets, which can spread when you or your child cough, sneeze, talk, yell, or yodel, don’t travel that far away from you, potentially infecting somebody else. In that way, masks are a lot like bicycle helmets or seat belts: All are physical barriers protecting your head or body from harm, and, in the case of masks, also protecting others.We know masks can save lives, but are they totally safe to wear 100% of the time? Science superstar Joe Hanson helps Alok and Bethany debunk some mask myths, like that wearing one can decrease your oxygen levels, that humidity in the mask can cause pneumonia, or that people who are not experiencing symptoms should be exempt from wearing masks. Remember, scientific studies have shown that even if you or your child feel fine, you could be asymptomatic (infected but never develop symptoms) or presymptomatic (infected but not yet experiencing symptoms) and still spread the virus.Struggling with getting your little one to put on and avoid touching their face covering? Find inspiring role models like the stars of “Hello, Ninja” and make it fashion, Bethany suggests.Of course, masks alone aren’t enough to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and not all children can or should be wearing them. Physical distancing, aka keeping a distance of at least 6 feet away from others, is also important. And if your child struggles with wearing a mask or can’t do so because of sensory differences or their age—masks can pose a suffocation or choking hazard to children under 2—that’s OK! You just might have to mitigate risk in another way.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Masks, along with social distancing, are a great way to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. How can you help your child dress for success in a face covering, and are any children best off not wearing one?

Masks, along with social distancing, are a great way to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. How can you help your child dress for success in a face covering, and are any children best off not wearing one?

Why Masks Work and When Your Kid Should Wear One

Why Masks Work and When Your Kid Should Wear OnePublished: September 14, 2020Alok: Bethany, everything’s different now.Bethany: Dude, we are not in a kitchen anymore. Can I take this off? Do you think it’s ok?Alok: Well, I feel close to you, yet so far.Bethany: Is this six feet?Alok: I think Mother Nature has adequate ventilation. I think we’re good.Bethany: Good? Unmasking.Alok: It surprisingly feels weird, though. I’m going to be honest.Bethany: To not have a mask?Alok: It feels like you’re in a car and you’re like, “Can I take my seat belt off?” And I’m like, “Usually, you can’t.”There’s a lot of great studies out there actually proving that masks work. So basically, as far as we know, coronavirus spreads in a similar fashion to other respiratory virus, it spreads by droplets. So if you are coughing, sneezing, even shouting, screaming, rapping, yodeling, all these things, you’re going to release very small droplets that could have the actual virus in it, assuming you’re infected. And the reason this happens is because one of the key places that SARS-CoV-2, that’s the virus which causes COVID-19, replicates is in your upper respiratory system. It can hang out up there. So anytime you’re doing these activities, you might be expelling little viral particles. The point of the mask is to basically create a filter so they don’t travel that far away from you, potentially infecting somebody else. That’s what it comes down to. It’s literally a physical barrier. And I compare that to wearing a helmet. The helmet is a physical concept. You’re protecting your head. In the same way, the mask is a physical concept. It’s a barrier that’s meant to prevent the transmission from your nose and your mouth, protecting other people if you’re infected and also potentially protecting you as well. The mask alone is not everything. It also comes down to physical distancing also. So you do it altogether, and those droplets will not be running around.Can you please tell me, how have Lulu and Nico been when it comes to actually keeping a mask on, wearing it right, not touching it, not fidgeting with it? Are they all-stars? Are they struggling?Bethany: It’s been challenging. So they were fighting us tooth and nail for about masks for like two weeks. So their favorite show that they watch right now is “Hello, Ninja.”Excerpt: Hello, ninja! The ninjas have arrived!It’s two kids and they turn into ninjas when they have to solve a problem. And they turn into ninjas and they have a mask on.Alok: Are you sure they’re not, like, robbing a bank?Bethany: One day we were like, “You know what? The ninjas, they wear masks and they’re not complaining and they’re getting a lot done. They’re solving problems. And they save Pretzel the Cat all the time.” And that clicked so hard. And they were like, “We’re ninjas!” And they put the masks on and now we have mask wearing.Alok: I will say, though, you want to make sure your mask actually has a good seal around your face and you shouldn’t be able to actually feel air if you were to go “ffff.” Try blowing out a candle while wearing a mask. You won’t be able to do it. And if you can, your mask either has a hole in it.Bethany: You need a different maskAlok: Or you’re not wearing a mask.Bethany: This is how I like to wear my mask,.Alok: Which is not correct. That’s a chinstrap.Bethany: Why? I can’t get COVID in my chin? Is that — oh wait, how about this? I don’t understand it. Every time I see somebody wearing their mask very confidently like this, I take that as a sign of alien life because maybe that’s where their mucous membrane lies is in their chin. Maybe their nose and their mouth is pretty dry. And this is where the coronavirus would enter. So I’m not trying to be biased. I’m just like, “What planet are you from? Earth!? Put your mask on.”Alok: Wearing a mask is not only perfectly safe, but it’s actually going to prevent the spread of coronavirus. So that’s what it comes down to. Lot of great videos out there on the Internet. Lot of great articles. Just make sure you know your source and you know it’s a valid one that’s evidence-based. And you’re probably like, “Hey, can you throw me one that you personally think is awesome?” And I’ll be like, “Yeah, you should check out, ‘It’s OK to Be Smart,’ hosted by our very good friend, Joe Hanson.”Joe: Wait, did I hear my name? Are you guys talking to me out there?Alok: We sure are! Joe, it is good to see you. “See” you.Joe: It’s good to see you too. I mean, this is how we see everybody today, through screens and cameras, right?Alok: Joe, I need to borrow your expertise. We know that masks work, we know they save lives, but I want to get into the science of it, so we can debunk some mask myths because they’re everywhere. Are you game?Joe: Let’s do it. Let’s get some mask science and some mask truth out there so people can stay safe.Alok: Can I start off the top with — wearing a mask is going to mess with your oxygen and CO2 levels. They’re like, “Hey, I'm gonna get hypercapnic. I'm gonna get too much CO2 in my blood because I’m not going to be able to blow it off.” Or, “My oxygen levels are gonna go really low, which is why people out there are afraid of wearing them.”Joe: So you remember how those viral particles are transmitted inside respiratory droplets? Those are still really small, but we know that masks stop those. A CO2molecule or an oxygen molecule is ten thousand times smaller than the droplets that the coronavirus travels in when an infected person breathes them out.So a mask is letting those tiny, tiny gas molecules through with absolutely no problem. I mean, they are beyond microscopic. Nothing to worry about when it comes to getting enough oxygen in our bodies.And we know this because surgeons, doctors, nurses wear masks for hours, sometimes full work shifts, and they’ve hooked themselves up to oxygen monitors, expensive medical equipment, and they're doing just fine.Alok: I hear you. I bring up the doctors, surgeons, the graffiti artists, the construction workers, people who are wearing N95’s twelve hours a day, five to seven days a week. And they're fine. But thank you for slapping that one in the face.Here's another mask myth that I can't even wrap my head around because it doesn't make sense to me. But the humidity in the mask and the trapping of germs and particles in a mask can cause pneumonia. And this will make us all sick.Joe: There's no reason to think that you should get some other communicable respiratory disease from wearing a piece of fabric or a surgical mask in front of your face. I mean, it's important to make sure that we're wearing clean masks, that you're taking it off and you're washing it regularly.But you're not going to get toxic mold and pneumonia or anything like that from your mask. In fact, the mask is probably going to help you even more from getting those other respiratory diseases.Alok: I want to talk about something else — about asymptomatic spread. I wanted to get your thoughts about how to approach people who don't have any symptoms and say, “You know what? I'm fine. I'm not coughing up those droplets. I'm all good. I don't need to wear a mask.”Joe: We hear this word “asymptomatic.” Now, that can mean you'll never show symptoms the entire time that you have that virus replicating and leaving your body. Or it could be that you're pre-symptomatic, that you will show symptoms within the next couple weeks of some kind of sickness, but you're actively making virus and breathing it out into the world. You just can't tell yet.We know there's a lot more positive cases out there than the ones that we have caught. And that can only mean that there are people out there transmitting this virus that don't know they have it.There's some period where you have the virus, it catches on in your body, it enters your cells, starts replicating and breaking out of those cells, spewing virus out into the world before they know they have it.So out of an abundance of caution and working for the people around us to keep them safe, we have to take into account that, you know what, I could be asymptomatic and the person next to me could be asymptomatic and transmitting the virus. I sure want them to be wearing a mask, right? Well, they think the same thing about me. And that is really important when it comes to this idea of asymptomatic spread.Alok: This isn't necessarily a myth. So I do also hear a lot of resistance towards wearing masks… not necessarily because of the science, but because it's their autonomy and liberty. What do you say to these people?Joe: When I think about what has made humans special, going all the way back to the beginning of our species history, when I think like a scientist, when I think like a biologist, it is our cooperation. And the fact that we have looked out for our communities and our groups and worked together to solve problems.Being an individual and taking care of yourself, that's important. But what has made us work and what has helped us reach this amazing existence that we have today in the world is working together. And if we remember that, and remember that this won't last forever, I think, I hope that people will change their perspective and see the value in coming together and working for a greater good. I don't think that's like a dream or a pie in the sky thing. I think it's really something that makes humans special.Alok: Thank you, by the way, for actually sitting down and breaking out some of this science.Joe: Thanks for having me.Alok: I get asked often who shouldn’t be wearing a mask? Is there anyone that is exempt from wearing a mask? And from our vantage point, it’s children under the age of two who shouldn’t be wearing a mask because it can pose a suffocation or choking hazard. They also aren’t able to manage the mask like older kids can. They’re gonna touch it. They might shove it in their mouth. Kids above the age of two, in that two to five range, I hear different stories from parents. And again, it really depends on your child. And if your child’s able to wear a mask, keep it on. I would say, assess that risk. And guess what? If you have a child who can’t wear a mask, you just might have to mitigate the risk in another way. They might have to physically distance more. Maybe they won’t be able to go out in certain places.Bethany: Some kids have sensory issues and maybe wearing a mask is more problematic for them than not wearing a mask. That’s when you check in with your child’s medical team, their pediatrician, their occupational therapist, talk about mask wearing with them because there’s a good likelihood that you could figure out how your child can wear a mask. And if there isn’t, you mitigate it in other ways. We’re isolated. We stay at home. We play in the yard. And we stay at home. That’s how we mitigate the risk at our house. Again, you have to do what works best for your family and get good advice and support around it.Alok: Don’t just make an assumption and not wear a mask. Just check in with your doctor.Bethany: Thinking it through and collaboration. That’s my soapbox — collaboration between families and the medical community, they can work it out.Alok: I’m kind of picturing if the PBS rainbow went like this right now.Bethany: Collaboration is key.Joe: Daniel Tiger has saved the day when it comes to this. I mean, the “germs” episode, we watch that.Alok: If he was a real person, he would be in so many scandals, by the way. Rockin’ a red hoodie and no pants.Joe: And don’t get me started on tigers that eat vegetables. That’s just a nature episode we have to talk about.Alok: Joe, that’s the vegan tiger. He’s woke. The woke vegan tiger in the red hoodie who’s too cool for pants.

With the reopening of schools and the continued threat of the coronavirus looming, parents and guardians are bound to have questions about how to help their kids avoid—or recover from—COVID-19. Parentalogic hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft discuss how the coronavirus affects kids’ time at home and at school, and how parents can help stay informed.

How COVID-19 affects kids and what schools and parents can do to keep them safe.

How COVID-19 Affects Kids

You may have heard people say, “Children are less susceptible to getting COVID-19. They'll be fine.” But that's not entirely true: Kids can catch the novel coronavirus, and some studies have shown that children older than 10 can be as likely to transmit it as adults.In this video, Parentalogic hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft discuss this and more, asking questions about how the coronavirus affects kids’ time at home and at school, and how parents can help stay informed. What are schools doing to protect children? Are the schools able to actually keep children apart? What’s their ventilations situation look like? Can they create physical barriers in the cafeteria? Will the cafeteria even be open?Given the newness of the coronavirus, scientists are continually hypothesizing, questioning, and trying to figure out its unknowns. Today, experts are sure that social distancing and mask-wearing—by both adults and kids—is critical to managing viral spread and the pandemic. And like adults, children are most likely to present with a fever and a cough, but may experience abdominal pain, body aches, diarrhea, and shortness of breath instead. (If you suspect your child has been exposed to the coronavirus, check in with your doctor or health care provider. In the meantime, have you and your child wear a mask around each other, and, if possible, dedicate a separate bathroom and eating space for your child to limit exposure.)Of course, mysteries about COVID still abound: One of the greatest unknowns is why younger children tend to handle coronavirus infection less severely than older kids and adults. Alok and Bethany discuss the current theories and what they might mean for kids at home and at school.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

With the reopening of schools and the continued threat of the coronavirus looming, parents and guardians are bound to have questions about how to help their kids avoid—or recover from—COVID-19.

With the reopening of schools and the continued threat of the coronavirus looming, parents and guardians are bound to have questions about how to help their kids avoid—or recover from—COVID-19.

How COVID-19 Affects KidsPublished: September 28, 2020Alok Patel: So imagine if you have a bunch of kids hanging out together who are not wearing masks, not physically distancing and dont have- Bethany Van Delft: Picking their noses and eating it.Alok: And they don't have really bad symptoms! So they don't necessarily know that they're infected. Like this is a recipe for another outbreak that's brought on by the kids. Some people out there have said, hey, you know, children are less susceptible to getting COVID 19. A: That's not necessarily true. They can absolutely catch this coronavirus. Kids are most likely to present with a fever and a cough, most likely. Bethany: Certain groups of kids Alok: There is a whole other cohort of kids that didn't present with that. They presented with abdominal pain, with body aches, with diarrhea, with shortness of breath. Bethany: And then there are the kids that don't fall into that broad, broad term, “general.” There are kids who have different underlying health conditions where amongst that group kids, it is a big problem. Alok: Parents have to be especially aware if their kids have any type of chronic illnesses. We're talking, diabetes, heart disease, cancer. If they have anything that's kind of compromising their immune system, your kid doesn't necessarily fit in the category that somebody is speaking about when they're talking about the risk to children. It's all individualized.Bethany: My daughter Lulu is eight and a half. I'd better get that right. Lulu has Down syndrome She's very high risk for COVID. And it's not because of her intellectual developmental disability. It's because of her proclivity to respiratory illness. Alok: We've already talked about general symptoms of COVID 19 in kids, fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, diarrhea, all these things. We also have to think about your child's potential exposure. it's never wrong to check in with your doctor or health care provider and say, hey, my child may have been exposed. Should we get a test? What do we do? Your doctor will tell you if a tele-health visit is best or if you should come and get your child tested. Studies have shown that kids above the age of 10 can be as likely to transmit the virus as adults are, even if they don't get as severe symptoms One study even suggests that kids - even kids with very mild symptoms or even none at all! -  can carry unusually high number of viral particles -- even as many as might be in a very sick adult So if your child does have COVID-19, it’s really important to try to protect yourself and anyone else in the household from catching it. It's best to try to have only one person care for the child and to keep everyone else -- including pets -- away as much as possible. If possible, try to have that child use a separate bathroom and eat in separate areas and make sure everyone in the house is washing their hands -- a lot. And if the child is over 2, both the child and whoever is taking care of the child should wear masks when they are in the same room. I've heard a lot of questions about PIMS or MISC,What we suspect it is a post-viral inflammatory state that can target the blood vessels and your kids can present with the usual symptoms of COVID 19. But they can also present with things like shortness of breath, change in skin color, headache, kind of feeling like altered mental status, like they're dizzy. Really bad abdominal pain. If you notice any of these symptoms in your child, with a fever of 100.4 or more, contact your child's doctor right away and seek emergency care right away if your child is showing any of these emergency warning signs of MIS-C or other concerning signs:trouble breathingpain or pressure in the chest that doesn’t go awaynew confusioninability to wake or stay awakebluish lips or facesevere abdominal painAlok: Now take a deep breath and remember that misc, while serious,  is treatable. Doctors can provide treatment to reduce the inflammation and protect the heart, kidneys and other organs from lasting damage.And another thing–Bethany: There's always one thing with COVIDAlok: Parents should ask about what schools are doing to protect our children. Bethany: Yes Alok: To protect their children and their faculty. Are the schools able to actually keep children apart? What’s their ventilation situation look like? Can they create physical barriers in the cafeteria? Will the cafeteria even be open?Bethany: What is the student population at each school?My daughter's school is second grade to 12th grade. Yeah it’s a huge range.High schoolers are doing a really different thing. And then how do you institute different protocols for different students? It’s so complicated!  Alok: Best-case scenario, everyone is wearing a mask and is six feet apart, at all times. Common spaces are closed, hand-washing and disinfecting is happening all the time and schools are well-ventilated. But remember, not every school district has the same amount of resources and so not every school can implement every single recommendation. And for younger students, students with sensory issues, or students with certain medical diagnoses, wearing a mask could be a real challenge. So schools have to take all of this into account and make a plan.Bethany: I know I've heard that if anyone presents with symptoms, they will be quarantined. And as in, you know a COVID-suspected area, find out what that area is. Is it the gym or is it like a tiny little closet? Who is going to be with that kid? Is the kid going to be alone? Those are super important questions.Alok: Or will they be sent home?Students who develop symptoms at school should be isolated and eventually be sent home, or they should seek medical care depending on their symptoms. And also it’s up to the school to notify people who have been in close contact with that person – contact tracing. And they also have to be really careful about disinfecting anything that child, teacher, whoever  is sick, may have come in contact with.And so I think parents should, unfortunately, be prepared for the rollback in schools to shut down at any point or students to be asked to go home and quarantine or for test results to not come back for two weeks. I'mma throw this chair. Bethany: Throw a chair at coronavirus. Alok: In its little spike protein looking like it's all tough. Scientists are constantly hypothesizing, questioning and trying to figure out all these unknowns about the virus and one of the big unknowns is why is it that a lot of younger children tend to do okay with COVID 19. They don't have as severe symptoms.And there's a couple of ideas. One of them is that it's possible that these young immune systems are just more primed for dealing with a new infection. Another one is that it's possible that kids have seen other members of the coronavirus family. Remember, there's four other ones that we see seasonally. It's possible there might be some cross talk in the immune system. Bethany: Maybe it's because kid’s lung cells are smaller or more slippery. So they just can't they can't latch on. Alok: Another theory is about genetics and about the receptors in which the coronavirus latches onto. These are called ACE -2 receptors. Some scientists theorize that children have less of these ACE -2 receptors. So the coronavirus has a harder time of latching on and replicating these receptors are more plentiful as humans get older and in different people. Bethany: So my theory about slippery lung cells in toddlers was kind of right, is what you're saying. Thank you. Thank you. No problem. Alok: Instead of slippery lung cells, maybe it’s like a rock climbing wall with less ... grips. Bethany: Yeah Alok: You could do it, it’d just be way harder. And if you put, like, a thousand rock climbers on it, not as many would succeed... Bethany: I was getting to the rock climber thing. I was on my exploratory pathWait! Wait! Wait!  Before you go, PBS Digital Studios and ParentaLogic want to hear from YOU. That’s right! We do a survey every year to hear about the kind of stuff you want to see. You even get to vote on potential shows. So, take the survey at the link in the description and let them know, ParentaLogic is your favorite, right? Let them know!  Data or data. Data. Alok: Data? Data. Bethany: Data. Alok: Data. Bethany: Data? What do you say? Do you say data or data? Leave it in the comments. Alok: Database. Database.Bethany: Dude, it’s going to look the same. Alok: You say database!

Fevers can be scary—and sudden. But don’t fear: Hosts Dr. Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft, with the help of Mia the Doll, are here to illustrate how best to check your child’s temperature and explain what can be done to calm you and your little one.

How to Take Your Kid's Temperature

Human temperatures are not always a steady 98.6°F. Some people run warmer than others, and children are generally warmer than adults. Circadian rhythms, the weather, and even what your kids are wearing may affect a temperature reading. So if your child looks sick, is acting weird, or your thermometer is reading something higher than 100°F, it’s best to check in with your doctor.There are many different types of thermometers, and perhaps more surprisingly, there’s fascinating physics behind these little engineering marvels. Alok and Bethany run through five of your temperature-taking options—from rectal to forehead. They show how to best use thermometers, posit what kind and which method may be ideal for your child (depending on age and the ability to sit still!), and explain the science of how thermometers work.Your typical digital thermometer uses an electronic heat sensor to measure body temperature, Alok explains. A digital tympanic thermometer is “exhilarating” and “fascinating,” he says, and because it must accurately measure the temperature inside of an ear canal, it’s also called an ear thermometer. An alcohol thermometer is also an option, but make sure you have one designed for humans (your child is not a freezer). And lastly, there are the vintage relics of the past: mercury thermometers.Alok and Bethany’s message? Don't take these fever-monitoring devices for granted. Not only are they crucial tools to help you or a health care provider monitor your child's wellbeing and check for fever; they're also fascinating tools.Next time you show off your physics of thermometers knowledge, we bet you’ll get a standing ovation.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Fevers can be scary—and sudden. But don’t fear: Hosts Dr. Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft, with the help of Mia the Doll, are here to illustrate how best to check your child’s temperature and explain what can be done to calm you and your little one.

How to Take Your Kid's TemperaturePublished: October 13, 2020Alok Patel: Rectal temperature? Let’s do it, Mom!Bethany Van Delft: They’re usually like, “Nooooo. Nooooooo.”Alok Patel: Did you know, Bethany, that the most accurate way to check your baby’s temperature is with a rectal thermometer, which goes in the rectum?Bethany Van Delft: Yes, I did know. But do you have any tips—like, the best way to take a temperature rectally? Because, maybe this is exclusive to my children—none of my babies were like, “Sure, put that up there. I’ll cooperate!”Alok Patel: They weren’t like, “Rectal temperature? Let’s do it, Mom!”Bethany Van Delft: They’re usually like, “Nooooo. Nooooo.”Alok Patel: Just maniac in place. So what’s baby’s name?Bethany Van Delft: This is Mia. Mia Baby.Alok Patel: Mia Baby, Mia Baby. Now with one hand, spread the buttocks. You know where it goes. You want to cover that silver tip at the end of it.Bethany Van Delft: Ok.Alok Patel: This is what we usually consider to be the most accurate way to take a temperature, especially in young kids under the age of 3 months where a fever could potentially be serious.Bethany Van Delft: Beep.Alok Patel: Beep. Baby doesn’t have a fever ‘cause she’s made of cloth. In young, young, young babies, we strongly advise using a rectal. Let’s say you don’t have one.Bethany Van Delft: If your baby doesn’t have a rectum, then you can use...Alok Patel: If your baby doesn’t have a rectum, we’ve got some other problems to discuss. So next, you said your babies sometimes don’t like to get rectal temperatures. You can do an armpit temperature or an axillary temperature. There you go! Now make sure you have a good seal. You’re going to get a beep on this one also. Now one thing to take note of is that an axillary or armpit temperature is going to run slightly cooler than the rectal temperature.And that same thermometer, after you clean it, can also be used as an oral temperature as well. This is obviously harder to do in younger babies who aren’t going to cooperate. Do your kids cooperate with oral temperatures?Bethany Van Delft: With nothing. Nothing on Earth.Alok Patel: But in the kids that do, make sure your kid bites down. I’m sorry, does not bite down! But closes his or her mouth down on the thermometer.Bethany Van Delft: When I was little, thermometers were glass with mercury in them.Alok Patel: Were you little in the ’30s?Bethany Van Delft: I was little in 1919.Alok Patel: Bethany! She probably doesn’t have a fever because we’ve established the fact that she’s not human. Mia, you’re human, shh. But let’s talk about the second most accurate way to check a temperature, and that’s with a temporal thermometer.So ditch that old school oral one. Temporal. You’re gonna go right in the middle of Mia’s forehead, she doesn’t care, push the scan button. You’re gonna move along the middle of the forehead towards the top of the ear, stop right at the hairline.Bethany Van Delft: That’s like, the easiest. I can’t just stick with this all the time?Alok Patel: A lot of parents do like it. Now let’s say Mia is now 6 months old. You can start checking her ear.Bethany Van Delft: Can we do your ear temperature?Alok Patel: How do your kids do with ear temps?Bethany Van Delft: They love this, they like pushing the buttons, and doing it themselves, they love this.Alok Patel: They actually love it?Bethany Van Delft: They love it. They’re super weird.Alok Patel: Playtime is “take my temperature in my ear, Mom.”Bethany Van Delft: “Take my temperature in my ear!”Alok Patel: Now you’re a pro at this. You want to make sure you have a good seal so you’re using the proper ear thermometer. What does it say?Bethany Van Delft: No fever cause she’s still a doll.Alok Patel: There’s a lot of variation. Children are warmer than adults, some people run warmer than others, there’s circadian rhythms, there’s the weather outside, there’s what your kids are wearing. What I would again worry about is if your kid looks sick, is acting weird or your thermometer is reading something higher than that 100 range, just check in with your doctor.Bethany Van Delft: Some people just hot, right?Alok Patel: Some people just hot.Bethany Van Delft: Some people just hot.Alok Patel: Maybe not fever hot, but like, warm.Bethany Van Delft: Alright.Alok Patel: There's so many different types of thermometers, and I know you're all really fascinated about the physics behind these little engineering marvels. I hear you. So let's run through them, what they can be used for and how they work.First up, the regular digital thermometer. Now, this uses an electronic heat sensor to basically measure body temperature. It can be used in the mouth, armpits and you guessed it, the rectum. There's a few pros. It's fast and it's easy. It's pretty accurate. However, if you're trying to get an oral reading, it's not as accurate if somebody has to breathe through their mouth. You need to get that good seal. They also are battery operated and they can die, kind of like this one. You also have to absolutely make sure you're keeping them clean for obvious reasons when you think about where they go. You want to make sure you’re using at least a 60% alcohol-based solution. You can use a dilution of bleach also. Make sure you’re not only cleaning and disinfecting the tip, but also the entire body of the thermometer.Next up is the exhilarating, fascinating digital ear thermometer to accurately measure temperature inside of an ear canal, which is why it’s also called a tympanic thermometer. Here's how it works. Every object gives off a little bit of infrared radiation. The infrared radiation coming off the ear canal goes back to this thermometer, it hits something called the thermopile. That infrared radiation then gets transferred into heat, the heat then goes to an electronic sensor, and you get a temperature reading. Now there are a few pros with this. It’s quick and it's comfortable. It's also really cool too. But a few cons. It can’t be used in really young children, in their tiny little ear canals. And earwax can also interfere with you trying to get an accurate measurement. Also, as always, you do want to make sure you're keeping this thing clean. And what you want to do is just use a little bit of alcohol or a disinfectant solution with a cotton ball or a Q-tip and clean that tip.But your child is three months old and you want to use this really cool infrared technology? Ha, you're in luck because now you've a temporal artery thermometer. This is like the forehead thermometer. A lot of people have seen it uses infrared technology to basically take thousands of readings from the temporal artery. And it uses all those readings to give you an accurate measurement. Obviously, this is fast, it's accurate and it's really easy to use. And you can use it on children as young as three months. One of the biggest cons, however, is it’s pretty expensive. And as always, make sure you’re keeping the thermometer clean. You don’t want to be using this on multiple people and spreading germs, from one infrared-obsessed child to another.Next up, we have the alcohol thermometer. You have to make sure you're using an alcohol thermometer designed for humans. This one is made for a freezer. Your child is not a freezer. Now, alcohol thermometers basically work because alcohol expands when it gets really hot. You can actually get a measurement based on the expansion. Now, one downside to it, which may not affect you, is that it doesn't give you an accurate reading past 172F. If any human out there has lived with a temperature of 172F, you're not a human. I hope it’s never an issue for you. Last but not least, I'm really excited to say this phrase, please clean your alcohol thermometer with an alcohol-based solution.Then there's mercury thermometers, which are a relic of the past, and now they're like cool vintage medical tools. So a mercury thermometer works similar to an alcohol thermometer. Basically, when the mercury is warm or hot, it expands, it rises on the tube, and it gives you a temperature measurement. Now, you should not be using this anymore. This, I should not even be holding and playing with because they can break, the mercury can spill out, and it's toxic. So in the end, don't take thermometers for granted. Not only are they crucial tools to help you or a health care provider monitor your child's health, check for fever, they're also fascinating engineering marvels. And now any time you go out, you go to the bar, you can talk to people about how much you know about the physics of these little fever-monitoring devices. And watch yourself get a standing ovation.But let’s say your child is really young and you have a tympanic thermometer, but you still want to get an accurate reading using this very cool infrared technology. Voila. Why aren’t you going on? Alright, cool. We’ll, you’re in luck. What the—?

You may know that the placenta is there to take care of your baby in utero, like a gory version of Mary Poppins. But what is the placenta exactly, how does it form… and should you eat it?

What is the placenta exactly, how does it form… and should you eat it?

Placenta: The Incredible Organ You Make During Pregnancy

“The placenta is literally a wonder organ,” co-host Alok Patel says, “kind of like how Mary Poppins is a wonderful creature.” In this episode of Parentalogic, he and co-host Bethany Van Delft explore how the placenta takes care of everything a developing baby needs during their 9-month stay in the uterus, acting as lungs, kidney, heart, and endocrine system. The placenta ferries nutrients—food from mom—to the growing baby. It assists with gas exchange, much like a lung does, despite being submerged in fluid. Since babies in utero can’t pee or poop (at least in the traditional sense), the placenta also helps with the removal of waste products, like uric acid. And, in true “wonder organ” fashion, it also gives babies antibodies for immunity to viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens, helping with hormone development and regulation along the way.If you, your partner, or another loved one took medications while pregnant, the placenta may have also helped safeguard your little one from their effects. Opiates, benzos, and beta-blockers can cross a placental barrier, but many prescribed drugs cannot and are fine to take while pregnant, Alok explains. Some infections, including toxoplasmosis and rubella, can cross the placental barrier as well. (In a public health victory, however, you can now be vaccinated against rubella.)Typically, a mom’s placenta develops from the top of the uterus, where it will attach to the uterine wall and then detach after delivery. But its position can vary. Some positions, like placenta previa, in which it covers the cervix where the baby needs to exit at birth, can cause complications.When a mother’s placenta (and baby) are delivered, should mom consider eating it? Alok and Bethany explore the short and long answers and conclude that it may just depend on whether mom is a human—or not.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

You may know that the placenta is there to take care of your baby in utero, like a gory version of Mary Poppins. But what is the placenta exactly, how does it form… and should you eat it?

Placenta: The Incredible Organ You Make During PregnancyPublished: December 7, 2020Bethany Van Delft: Is it a boy?Alok Patel: Is it a girl?Bethany Van Delft: Is it intersex?Both: It's a placenta!Bethany Van Delft: I know that it's amazing. Like, I know that it's there to take care of the baby like some kind of invasive, gory, Mary Poppins or something. But what is it? Alok Patel: Well, ok so the placenta literally is like a wonder organ, kind of like how Mary Poppins is a wonderful creature. You know, she comes out with her umbrella and takes care of everything – we're done with Mary Poppins! The placenta literally does everything a developing fetus needs while they are coming to fruition over nine months. So think about nutrients, so all the food baby gets. Gas exchange. The placenta is acting like a lung, even though it's completely submerged in fluid.There's also the removal of waste products, things like uric acid, because babies are obviously not able to pee or, you know, take hard poops. Also the placenta will give babies antibodies for immunity, and can even take care of the hormones. So it's almost like the lungs, liver, kidney, the heart, the endocrine system, all of it. Were you on any medications when you were pregnant? Bethany Van Delft: I did not take any medications while I was pregnant because I was worried about it getting in the baby. Can medications go through the placenta? Alok Patel: Some can and some can't. Some like opiates or benzos or beta blockers can cross that placental barrier, that might not be a great thing, but there's some other medications which are totally fine to take. There are some beta blockers, which are used very commonly during pregnancy and have a long standing and well known safety profile.So ask your OB plenty of questions and discuss medication safety.So infections can. Have you heard of toxoplasmosis? Bethany Van Delft: That sounds like a villain.Alok Patel: There's rubella. You've heard of that one? Bethany Van Delft: But you get vaccinated against rubella. Alok Patel: Hashtag public health victoryYou know, when you mentioned Mary Poppins, we're back to her, I pictured her coming down from the top of the screen, right? Which is kind of a cool analogy because did you know the placenta commonly develops from the top of the uterus?Bethany Van Delft: Like a gory, Mary Poppins! Alok Patel: Do you by any chance know where your placenta was in delivery? Like was it on the front? Back? Top? Bethany Van Delft: I believe it was in the front. Alok Patel: Anterior placenta! The position can vary. You can have an anterior, you can have posterior. And sometimes you can have complications like placenta previa, which is a placenta which could actually cover the cervix where babies exit. But in some cases, the placenta can actually grow too deep into the uterine wall, which can cause hemorrhage or really heavy bleeding because it'll pull off part of the uterus. That's called placenta accreta. Bethany Van Delft: That is bad. Alok Patel: That is not a good thing. Bethany Van Delft: Accreta sounds like an anime villain.Bethany Van Delft: Placentas are gross! Tell me why it’s not gross.Alok Patel: Okay. If you look at a placenta, just kind of straight on fine. Maybe it's a little weird looking, maybe it's a little gross, but don't disrespect the incredible organ. Because placenta has to embed itself into the uterus and basically tap into mom's arteries. In farm animals the placenta just kind of peels off during labor. In dogs and cats it’s a little more invasive.Alok Patel: Implantation, the process when the placenta basically invades the uterus is pretty deep in guinea pigs and monkeys—fun guinea pig fact. Bethany Van Delft: Fun guinea pig fact, which I've been waiting for all day. Alok Patel: Well, here you have one. Thank you, placentology.Bethany Van Delft: Thank youBut In humans, placenta, uterus. That is super deep. Super deep. Bethany Van Delft: Like ride or die deep, like that? Like so deep.Alok Patel: Hopefully just the ride part.Bethany Van Delft: Like ride...Alok Patel: RideBethany Van Delft: So Dr. Alok, on the real now, fo real—are we supposed to be eating our placenta? I know there's all this information on how to eat it, how to freeze it, but are we actually supposed to be eating it? Alok Patel: Short answer is no, that there is no good evidence or scientific studies that show any benefit to placentophagy.Bethany Van Delft: Give me some long answer, man.Alok Patel: Long answer?Bethany Van Delft: I'm here. I have time. Give me some long. Alok Patel: All right. Here's the thing. A lot of placentas may have bacteria in them. Some are infected.This is not a good thing or something that you should be eating. There's even a CDC reported case of a neonate getting a severe infection from group B streptococcus, a serious bacteria because of a mom eating some of her placenta. Not a good thing. Also, think about it. The placenta is literally designed to protect the fetus from harmful substances. The fetus also sends metabolic waste out towards the placenta. So there's other things in there that you shouldn't be consuming.Well, then you hear the argument, well, we're mammals and a lot of mammals practice placentophagy. So it must be a good thing. Bethany Van Delft: Like what mammals? Alok Patel: Like rats, rabbits, djungarian hamstersBethany Van Delft: Djungarian hamsters? Alok Patel: They're the most important hamsters. Anyway, here's the thing. We're not like rodents. We don't roll the same way they do.Get it?Bethany Van Delft: Wheel! Hamster! Got it.Alok Patel: But just because other forest dwelling creatures that I'm sure other mammals and other hoofed mammals may practice placentophagy it doesn't mean that humans need to or even should. Some of these rodents live in different conditions than we do. They have different uteruses and placentas. They deliver a litter of pups. The ASPCA is going to be so thrilled with this. They're going to be like there is no love for djungarian hamsters.Bethany Van Delft: I am showing love for djungarian hamsters. And you are showing solid respect.

While there are many types of vaccines, each falls into one of a few broad categories. But can vaccines make you or your child sick? Because they don’t contain live pathogens, it’s impossible for mRNA vaccines, protein-based vaccines, and those with a killed version of the bacterium or virus to cause you to fall ill. In live, attenuated vaccines, the bug is living but rendered useless.

Vaccines: What’s Inside Them and Are They Safe?

A traditional vaccine, like your annual flu shot, contains proteins and pieces of a bacterium or a virus, or a killed or weakened version of the bug. It uses these fragments to prepare your immune system to recognize and fight off the living bacterium or virus if you come in contact with it out in the world.Here’s an analogy: Imagine a fierce football game with defensive and offensive teams. Before the game begins, the defense steals the other team’s playbook (scandalous). The offense—a virus, in this situation—takes the field, thinking it has some awesome plays. But surprise! The defense—your vaccinated, immunized body—knows exactly what to expect.While there are many types of vaccines, hosts Dr. Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft explore how each falls into one of a few broad categories. 1. Vaccines can contain the proteins of a bacterium or virus; 2. Vaccines can have a killed version of the bug; 3. Vaccines can have a weakened, live version of a bug; and 4. New mRNA vaccines, which trigger an immune response by teaching our cells to make a protein or a piece of a protein.The first coronavirus vaccines, including the Pfizer, BioNTech, and Moderna vaccines, contain genetic material known as messenger RNA (mRNA). mRNA contains the recipe for part of a protein similar to the one that infects our cells with the coronavirus (its characteristic “spike protein”). The production of that protein in the body triggers an immune response and the production of antibodies. Those antibodies will detect and destroy the virus if you’re to encounter the real thing.But can vaccines make you or your child sick? Because they don’t contain live pathogens, it’s impossible for mRNA vaccines, protein-based vaccines, and those with a killed version of the bacterium or virus to cause you to fall ill. In live, attenuated vaccines, the bug is living but rendered useless. (While live vaccines are safe for most children, Alok explains, parents and guardians of immunocompromised children should talk to their doctor before a live vaccine, like that for measles, mumps, or rubella, is administered.)After receiving any vaccine, you or your child may experience mild side-effects, like the sniffles or a low-grade fever, as well as sensitivity around the injection site. The extremely rare side-effects, seen in just one in 1 to 2 million children, are so uncommon that doctors can’t say with statistical confidence that they originate from a vaccine. And while doctors do take those rare reports very seriously, watch this episode and discover why they may seem more common than they actually are.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

We know what vaccines generally look like: a needle that a medical professional injects into your or your child’s arm. But what’s inside them, and are they safe?

We know what vaccines generally look like: a needle that a medical professional injects into your or your child’s arm. But what’s inside them, and are they safe?

Vaccines: What’s Inside Them and Are They Safe?Published: December 15, 2021Bethany Van Delft: So what are vaccines? Like they're a big giant needle that shoot somewhere ... but what? What? Alok Patel: Think about it like this, vaccines contain proteins or parts of bacteria or viruses that essentially teach your immune system how to defend against those bugs should you ever run into them. Here's an analogy. I want you to imagine a fierce football game, all right? You got the defense and you got the offense. Now, the defense stole the other team's playbook ahead of time. Bethany Van Delft: Oh, one of those… OK, alright. Alok Patel: They stole the team's playbook. So the offense shows up and are like, dude we got these awesome plays. They're like interception, interception, interception. And the offense is like— Bethany Van Delft: Uhh, what?! Goodbye! Alok Patel: The like the vaccine preventable diseases can't even touch us because our immune systems are already ready. Bethany Van Delft: Ahead of the game. That should be the name of the mini documentary about vaccines. Alok Patel: Well, you essentially are. Because think about it like this: theres many types of vaccines but they really fall into a few broad categories. You can have these small proteins of a bacteria or virus. You can have a killed version of the bug. Or you can have a weakened version of it.So there are some vaccines that we call live vaccines where you are actually going to get the actual bug, but a much weaker version of it. Those are mumps, measles, rubella, rotavirus, chicken pox. and those are so weak that you are not going to get the real infection but the child may have some—feeling kind of sick, may have some very light symptoms for a day or two but the reason i bring up the live vaccines is because in children who have a weakened immune system, maybe they have cancer or are on certain medications, should chat with her doctor before getting live vaccines. Remember there is a difference between vaccines that are made with parts of the bug, killed versions, and then live. They are all different. And then there are RNA vaccines—vaccines that trigger an immune response by teaching our cells to make a protein, or a piece of protein. These are some of the new vaccines coming out to protect us against COVID-19. They contain genetic material known as messenger RNA/m-RNA. The m-RNA in these vaccines is essentially the recipe for a protein that’s part of the little spike that sticks out of the coronavirus. The production of that protein in the body triggers an immune response and the production of antibodies. Those antibodies are what will detect and destroy the virus, if we encounter the real thing. It's like the mRNA vaccines are making a wanted poster and the main suspect is the spike protein.Bethany Van Delft: Alright, tell me this, buddy. Can I call you buddy? I’ll be your buddy. So tell me this, why doesn't it make you sick? Alok Patel: OK, fair question. So let's go back to the kind of broad categories of vaccines. So you have a vaccine, where it's like parts of the bug, you know, maybe a couple proteins, and then you have a killed version of the bacteria virus. So it's dead. Bethany Van Delft: A departed version... Alok Patel: A departed version,  a rest in peace version. So these two types cannot get you sick because the infection is not actually active. Bethany Van Delft: OK. Alok Patel: The bacteria's not going to come alive. And then you have other vaccines which are live attenuated vaccine, so what that basically means is you take the bug and it's altered in such a way where it's basically completely useless. Can't really cause any damage. And m-RNA vaccines can’t make you sick either because they don’t contain the live virus that causes covid-19Now some recipients of the new mRNA coronavirus vaccines experience symptoms like soreness, muscle aches, fever, and fatigue, and at least for adults, it looks that these symptoms might be bit more common than with the flu vaccine.Here's an important note, rather than call these "adverse side effects," some of these symptoms should be thought of as a normal immune responses to the vaccineBut so far, these are resolving within a few days and we haven’t seen any evidence that there are any long term side effects from the coronavirus vaccines.I should add, this is all based on clinical trials where the vaccines were tested on adults -some times adolescents as young as 12  and we don’t have data yet on how children react to these vaccines.Bethany Van Delft: So I know vaccines cause side effects like soreness, sniffles… But I think some parents are worried about way stronger side effects. Those are pretty rare right? Alok Patel: So they are extremely rare. The really rare side effects, are actually so rare that we statistically can't say definitively that it;s because of the vaccine. but we do take them seriously when they are reported. But here’s the issue, those are the stories that people will share and talk about on the internet So I've never seen a very dangerous side effect from a vaccine. Ever. But guess what, if you have questions about any of this, chat with your doctor.Bethany Van Delft: Call Alok and ask him all the questions you want. His number is...Can I coin a phrase for you?Alok Patel: Please.Bethany Van Delft: OK. The flu mutates, it flu-tates. It Flutates. Flutations. That's why you need new flu shots every year because of flu-tations. Alok Patel: I got nothing. Bethany Van Delft: You can have that.

Aluminum, formaldehyde, and mercury (no, not Freddie): vaccines have quite a few ingredients, and some of them don’t have the best reputation. But each ingredient has an important role in making vaccines sterile, safe, and effective.

Each ingredient has an important role in making vaccines sterile, safe, and effective.

Vaccine Ingredient Misconceptions, Debunked

You may research the ingredients of your child’s cereal, so why not learn about what’s inside your child’s vaccines? By breaking down vaccines’ “big ticket” ingredients—formaldehyde, aluminum, and mercury—hosts Dr. Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft explore the recognizable chemicals in vaccines, explain their uses, and quell our worries about these ingredients’ safety.Obviously, picturing a preserved sheep’s brain floating in formaldehyde isn’t the most comforting image. The chemical formaldehyde is a well-known preservative that is, in fact, the product of DNA metabolism. And it’s present in our cells all the time! Only a small amount of formaldehyde is used in vaccines to keep them sterile, and babies naturally have 50 to 70 times the amount of formaldehyde in a vaccine dosage constantly circulating in their bodies as a byproduct of DNA metabolism.Aluminum: it’s what you wrap your leftovers in, but do you want it inside your body? Although the buzz phrase “aluminum toxicity” has some truth to it, many substances—like sodium and potassium—can be toxic in large doses, and aluminum toxicity only occurs in people who wind up with a high level of aluminum in their body and can’t properly flush it out. Certain people are at a higher risk for aluminum toxicity; those who are on dialysis, get intravenous nutrition, or are continuously exposed to aluminum in their environment are among them. Small amounts of aluminum have been used in vaccines for more than 50 years to help them be as effective as possible. The amount used in vaccines is minuscule enough that your and your child’s kidneys can expel it: kids take in more aluminum from breast milk, food, and everyday life (because Earth’s crust has aluminum in it, too!) than they do by getting a shot at the doctor’s office.Like aluminum, mercury can also cause toxicity (just think: when the planet Mercury goes into retrograde, doesn’t the world around you get SO toxic?). In vaccines, the element mercury has historically been used to make the preservative thimerosal. Thimerosal is made specifically from ethyl mercury, which is also actively secreted by the human gut and leaves the body when we poop. Ethyl mercury is different than methyl mercury—formed when bacteria react with naturally-occurring mercury in water, soil, and plants—the compound most people think of when they hear the word “mercury.” Methyl mercury enters the food chain when fish and other organisms consume prey that already contains it, and at high levels, it can be toxic to people. It’s different from the much safer ethyl mercury that has been used in vaccines. But to top it all off, thimerosal is not commonly used in vaccines today.While it’s possible for people to develop a severe allergic reaction to a vaccine, it’s also extremely rare: about 1.4 in every 1 million doses administered result in a severe reaction. And although some vaccines contain proteins from chicken eggs, there’s nothing to worry about if your child has a mild to moderate egg allergy: it’s still safe to get a vaccine with egg proteins so long as it’s done under a medical provider’s supervision. More common symptoms include pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site. These symptoms are typically mild and resolve within one to three days.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Aluminum, formaldehyde, and mercury (no, not Freddie): vaccines have quite a few ingredients, and some of them don’t have the best reputation. But each ingredient has an important role in making vaccines sterile, safe, and effective.

Vaccine Ingredient Misconceptions, DebunkedPublished: January 4, 2021Bethany Van Delft: Can we talk about ingredients? Because people say there's all these crazy things in vaccines, like aluminum, formaldehyde, mercury, not Freddie.Alok Patel: There's no Freddie Mercury in the vaccine.Bethany Van Delft: Well, that's too bad.Alok Patel: Here's the thing. Vaccines are made up of a lot of stuff and it's all to make them not only sterile and safe, but also effective.Bethany Van Delft: Likewise, formaldehyde in a shot, not a big deal. When I've seen a sheep's brain, sitting in a jar of formaldehyde. Why is that not a big deal?Alok Patel: That's not-Bethany Van Delft: It feels like a big deal.Alok Patel: Obviously, formaldehyde sheep's brain is not a good association, right? But check this out. A very small amount or formaldehyde is used to keep vaccines sterile. Formaldehyde is a chemical that is a by-product of DNA metabolism. So that happens in our cells every day, all the time.Bethany Van Delft: Aww.Alok Patel: And babies...Bethany Van Delft: It's already in our body.Alok Patel: It's already in our bodies.Bethany Van Delft: Okay.Alok Patel: Babies...Bethany Van Delft: Okay.Alok Patel: ...will have 50 to 70 times the amount of formaldehyde than a vaccine circling through their blood all the time. Demystify that.Bethany Van Delft: See.Alok Patel: No big deal.Bethany Van Delft: I didn't know that. But if I was just searching on the internet and I saw formaldehyde, I would freak out, like I'm freaking out right now.Alok Patel: Just skip beyond the name and you just get to the root of it. Like aluminum.Bethany Van Delft: And ask.Alok Patel: Aluminum toxicity. You will see that pasted on so many articles. Aluminum toxicity. I'm like, "Yes," aluminum has been using vaccines for over 50 years to help them be more effective and too much aluminum is toxic. Too much salt is toxic. Too much kombucha can also be bad for you.Bethany Van Delft: Is it really bad?Alok Patel: Yet...Bethany Van Delft: Okay.Alok Patel: ...kombucha. But I should stress, aluminum toxicity is really only found in people who wind up with a high level of aluminum in their body and can't properly get rid of it. And certain people are at a higher risk of aluminum toxicity, such as those who are on dialysis, get IV nutrition or who are constantly exposed to aluminum in their environments. But here's the thing though, vaccines containing really, really, really small amount of aluminum. Our kidneys can handle it and throw it out there. And kids actually take in way more aluminum from breast milk, food, living on planet earth, where the crust of our planet has a lot of aluminum.Bethany Van Delft: Oh, really?Alok Patel: A lot of that gets into our bloodstream anyway.Bethany Van Delft: See.Alok Patel: And our kidneys get rid of it. It's not a big deal. Mercury also causes toxicity and people will see-Bethany Van Delft: Mercury retrograde. So toxic.Alok Patel: Different... I like where your head's at.Bethany Van Delft: Thank you.Alok Patel: I feel like every day is Mercury retrograde on the internet.Bethany Van Delft: It's Mercury retrograde now, whenever you're watching.Alok Patel: But now mercury, as it applies to vaccines, you will hear people talk about thimerosal, which is a vaccine preservative.Bethany Van Delft: I talk about that a lot. I have a group. We get together. We Chardonnay. We talk about thimerosal.Alok Patel: But two things about thimerosal, aside from what you talk about in your group.Bethany Van Delft: Yep.Alok Patel: We don't use it in the majority of vaccines nowaday. And also thimerosal was made from ethyl mercury. Stay with me. That's aside from you-Bethany Van Delft: I love that name. It's so old school.Alok Patel: Ethyl mercury...Bethany Van Delft: Ethyl.Alok Patel: ...is super old school.Bethany Van Delft: Ethyl. Hazel mercury.Alok Patel: Methyl mercury is the type of mercury you think about when you think of seafood toxicity. It's formed when bacteria react with naturally occurring mercury found in water, soil, and plants. It enters the food chain through fish and animals. And at high levels, it can be toxic to people. So it is not the same chemical that people say like, "Oh my God, mercury toxicity from seafood. How can you put that in vaccines?" And I'm like, "Not the same type of mercury."The mercury found in thimerosal is ethyl mercury and our bodies process it differently from methyl mercury. Ethyl mercury lasts less than a week in the body, which makes exposure in the blood fairly brief. On top of that, ethyl mercury is actively secreted by the gut. Meaning, it leaves the body in our poop. So it doesn't build up or cause any problems. And like I said, we don't use thimerosal in the vast majority of vaccines.Bethany Van Delft: Okay.Alok Patel: So the mercury toxicity thing is basically gone. And aluminum formaldehyde, not scary either.Bethany Van Delft: Dashed.Alok Patel: It is possible for people to develop a severe allergic reaction to a vaccine, but it's extremely rare. It's about 1.4 in every million doses for most vaccines. What about egg allergies? Some vaccines contain proteins from chicken eggs. If your child has a mild to moderate egg allergy, there's nothing to worry about with the vaccines. Even if your child has a severe egg allergy, it's still safe to get any vaccine with egg protein, as long as it's done under medical supervision. More common side effects include pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site. But these symptoms are typically mild and they resolve within one to three days. Throughout history, there have been some moments where vaccine safety had to be addressed.An infamous example known as the Cutter Incident took place in 1955. There were cases of polio linked to contaminated vaccine doses from one specific laboratory. In another instance, during the mid '50s and early '60s, up to 30% of polio vaccines were contaminated with a simian or monkey virus. In this case, there's not much evidence that simian virus did any harm. But public concern over cases like these led the US government to increase oversight, monitoring and regulation of vaccines. The results, the United States currently has the safest vaccine supply in its history.Are you going to talk about formaldehyde at the next Chardonnay meetup?Bethany Van Delft: No. I feel like I should start a separate one, because there's like a lot of layers to that. I saw a starfish in formaldehyde, like in biology class, all the things we dissected are in formaldehyde. So I think we're going to have to support each other, and really try to work through our feelings about formaldehyde.Alok Patel: Formaldehyde has feelings too.Bethany Van Delft: Does it? Well.

If you’ve been safe and healthy throughout the pandemic, it may be tough to admit that things have been difficult, too: In fear of sounding ungrateful or unappreciative, we often act like we have it all together. But the reality is it's been an exceptionally challenging time for all of us—perhaps especially for parents.

It's been an exceptionally challenging time for all of us—perhaps especially for parents.

6 Parenting Tips for COVID Times

Homeschooling while working from home and/or making sure your children are safe as you work from an office and your children attend school is a lot to bear. None of us have it all figured out, which is why hosts Dr. Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft are here for you with pandemic parenting tips. Hopefully, these recommendations help keep you and your loved ones sane right now:Translate public health guidelines into kid-speak.Young children are inquisitive natural-born scientists. Though daunting, there is a way—depending on their age—to explain public health guidelines to them. Posing questions that paint a mental picture for your children and proposing simple guidelines that clear the air for an explanation (without creating an invisible “bogeyman” out of the virus) have worked well for her and her family, Bethany says.Older children are tapped into their parents’ emotions and can sense stress and tension around trips to the grocery store or long weeks at home. Alok emphasizes the importance of having honest conversations with your adolescents and teenagers about what’s happening in the world: If you don’t explain it, their friends or the Internet will. Making sure your children have an understanding of how you are navigating the pandemic as a family unit creates a sense of cohesion, and keeps you all safer in the end.Confront your child’s sadness head-on and with tenderness.Have you noticed your child “acting differently?” You’re not alone. The lifestyle shift for a lot of children—especially those who engaged in a lot of extracurricular activities and social interaction—is very stark. Children may not always be able to articulate what’s really bothering them, but their behavior can reflect what they’re feeling inside. Talk about the sadness honestly and openly, Bethany suggests, and let your child know they’re not alone. Empathy is the best way to go, she says, because there really is no immediate solution to the way they feel.Support young people with mental health difficulties.Many children and teenagers are at risk for anxiety, depression, chronic stress, substance abuse, and other forms of mental illness right now, Alok says. Consider reaching out, offering support, and sharing mental health resources to your loved ones who feel like they are struggling with their mental health: “Nobody should be made to feel embarrassed, ashamed or alone when it comes to having any type of mental health issue. It’s part of the world right now,” Alok says. If your child is losing sleep or uninterested in their usual hobbies, he explains, it’s never wrong or too early to ask questions and reach out with help.Along with these three recommendations, also consider working through stress in your adult relationships and introducing more structure in your household. And remember, different socioeconomic and lifestyle variants mean that what you need is specific to your family.Ultimately, children are resilient and can get through pandemic-related challenges with your love and support.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

If you’ve been safe and healthy throughout the pandemic, it may be tough to admit that things have been difficult, too: In fear of sounding ungrateful or unappreciative, we often act like we have it all together. But the reality is it's been an exceptionally challenging time for all of us—perhaps especially for parents.

Six Parenting Tips for COVID Times

Six Parenting Tips for COVID TimesPublished: January 18, 2021Alok Patel: Like, honest question, what's it been like for you as a parent during the last few months?Bethany Van Delft: I will say we’re very lucky and we’re all safe. We’re all healthy. And we do have a little outside space, so we’re very grateful, very lucky. And then the reality is it’s been really, really hard, like challenging on so many levels.Alok Patel: Parents, we feel for you. You’re trying to homeschool while work from home. And you’re trying to stay sane while keeping your kids calm. It’s so much. Bethany and I have your back. Here are some tips and tricks for pandemic parenting.You know, children have a different way of seeing the world, depending on how old they are. You know, some younger kids have more abstract thinking and more creative thinking or to understand the world around them.Bethany Van Delft: We have to stay six feet apart. Do you know what six feet is? Daddy and a little bit more. He’ll never tell you that, though. if we see somebody coming without a mask, we have to step aside and let them go because it’s not safe, and explain why it’s not safe without creating this boogeyman that lives invisibly all around us. It’s been really, really challenging.Alok Patel: Older kids are starting to feed off what their parents are going through. And then those adolescents and teens are pretty smart. They’re with it. And if we don’t tell them what’s actually happening, they will go on the Internet and find their own answers or television or their friends.So tell me this, not trying to stoke any bad memories you may have had over the last few months, have you seen any signs of stress, anxiety at all in your two kids?Bethany Van Delft: Yeah, I do. Lulu gets throughout the day will get periods of just like this deep sadness I’ve never seen before. And I know it’s that she was so active. And now she doesn’t always have the words to express exactly what’s bothering her. But I do see these periods of just this real sadness. So we talk about it and I’m really honest with her. I’m like, I’m really sad, too. You know, Daddy’s really sad. We’re all really sad. We all miss the things that we used to do. I empathize with that feeling so, so much. And then, she will open up and say, but what do you do about it? And I’m like, we just be sad that we miss the things that we can’t do anymore. But we’d be really, really happy that we have each other and we’re safe and we’re healthy. So. My god, Alok, it’s so hard.Alok Patel: So none of that sounds easy. You weren’t lying to them. You weren’t BS’ing them. I think it’s commendable that you were actually just straight up with them and you were like, “Hey, I’m scared, too.” That is probably not the easiest thing to say. That type of tailored language is really important.There are unfortunately a lot of teens out there. I say teens, but all kids out there, who are at a specific risk for mental illness right now. And I’m talking anxiety, depression, really bad stress, substance abuse. We’re seeing it in these alarming numbers. Not all of it’s reported. And so I think this is just our friendly PSA to say if there is any ability for anyone out there to reach out to someone who may need it. Amazing. And if you can’t reach out to someone, just simply spreading the information that there’s resources out there or encouraging people to talk to their kids or teens to ask for help if they can. And I think that’s another thing that all of us can do our part in normalizing. No one ever, but no one, especially now, should feel embarrassed, ashamed, or alone when it comes to having any type of mental health issue. It’s part of the world right now. If you notice that your child or teen has certain changes in their behavior…Bethany Van Delft: Is acting different.Alok Patel: Acting differently.Bethany Van Delft: That’s the parent way of saying it. If your kid’s acting different.Alok Patel: Losing sleep, all of a sudden not interested in their usual hobbies, whatever they may be. It’s never too early or it’s never wrong to ask for help or just ask questions. What’s it been like for you and Jamie to have to modulate your stress and anxiety because you know that behavior is going to be translated to Nico and Lulu?Bethany Van Delft: I won’t say we’re good at it now, but we’re cognizant of that our stress, it’s like an aura. And in the beginning, we’re panicking about very different things. I’m panicking about everybody getting it. Jamie’s panic is income. Is this going to affect his income? How will he support us like so? Our stresses were equally enormous, but very different. And we thought the right thing to do was not talk about it, to not burden each other. And that was not good in the beginning. And we felt it and the kids felt it. And now we’re working on it. It’s not perfect because how can it be perfect? Like, I honestly don’t want to get the hang of this. I don’t want to get the hang of pandemic living. I really don’t. I do want to manage it and be safe and healthy for everyone. But I really I’m afraid of getting the hang of it, you know?Alok Patel: We don’t want this to be what we have to get the hang of. Here’s another thing that parents are in charge of: it’s structure. It gives children a sense of security. I want to ask you how on earth you’re dealing with creating structure?Bethany Van Delft: We have a whiteboard. We have a whiteboard with the day of the week and the date and what each of us has to do today. And we adopted meal schedules, which we never had in our life before. But now we have Taco Tuesday and Pizza Friday and Spaghetti and Meatballs Sunday because I don’t know if it’s true, but I feel like it anchors their week. It gives them structure, it gives them stability, like they know on Tuesday we have tacos. And I’ve learned to make tortillas from scratch really fast.Alok Patel: So I have two questions. Number one, can I come over for Taco Tuesday? And number two, I’m coming over for Taco Tuesday.Bethany Van Delft: I love your two questions.Alok Patel: You did say “anchor,” you used that word. And I think that’s really important because you are essentially the anchor for your kids’ normalcy, for their mental health, for their comfort, their safety, their structure, like parents are the anchor.We can easily say things all day long on TV, like, make sure you physically distance and make sure kids play outside whenever they can. Well, some people live in a single bedroom home. Some people live in neighborhoods where it’s actually not safe to go outside.Bethany Van Delft: Or some people just live in the city and there isn’t a lot of outside.Alok Patel: I do wish that all the information out there took different resources, family structures, socioeconomics into account. There is no one size fits all solution for families out there.Bethany Van Delft: You should not feel bad about it at all. And you should definitely not be afraid to ask for help figuring out what that is for your family. One thing I can definitively say, and I’m positive Bethany will agree with me, is that kids are resilient.Bethany Van Delft: Very resilient, very resilient.Alok Patel: They go through so much, they bounce back, they get injured, they’re back on a tree within another week. Kids will get through this. Even if you want more resources, you have a specific question, comment on this video and one of the two of us will directly respond to it.Giving me motivation to come over for Taco Tuesday.Bethany Van Delft: And Pizza Friday.Alok Patel: And Pizza Friday.Bethany Van Delft: Everything’s homemade for all of it.Alok Patel: Yeah. What about Tandoori Thursday?Bethany Van Delft: I’m on it. You said it, by next week I’m going to be stumbling through tandoori.Alok Patel: Everyday you’ll be like, “Hello, Tandoori Thursday.”

Teeth are designed to withstand anything hot, cold, chewy, soft, or hard thrown at them—and growing them is no walk in the park. Hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft take a bite into the topic, offering a look at the “teething timeline” for children—from gummy mouths all the way to pearly-white adult teeth—and offer tips on talking to your children about dental hygiene and visits to the dentist.

Help! My Kid is Teething and Miserable. What do I do?

In this episode of Parentalogic, hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft take a bite into the topic of teeth, offering a look at the “teething timeline” for children—from gummy mouths all the way to pearly-white adult teeth—and offer tips on talking to your children about dental hygiene and visits to the dentist.Teething starts during your infant’s first year: Baby teeth emerge at the front of the mouth first and, over the next two to three years, make their way toward the back. The first of your child’s 20 baby teeth to fall out are generally also the ones in the front of their mouth. Your child will likely start losing baby teeth at six or seven and will stop around ages 10 to 14. By the time your kid is 13 years old, they’ll likely have 28 permanent teeth, and by age 21, they’ll probably have wisdom teeth, too.“Teething is one of those things nobody tells you about,” Bethany says. But when it happens, it can leads to fussiness for a baby. Teething can cause irritability and trouble eating, which often results in crying, Alok explains. “It can make [babies] feel warm, too,” he says, “Not an infectious fever, but it does elevate their core body temperature.” Children can also find themselves experiencing “referred pain”: sensitivity or discomfort from teething can express itself in different places in the body, outside of the mouth. Your child may tug at their ear or rub their cheek on a surface when they begin teething, for example.Although the resulting baby teeth are temporary, they still need to be taken care of. Brushing baby teeth can prevent oral pain or infection and better protect permanent teeth underneath, which can experience damage or decay if the baby teeth are not well cared for. And surprisingly, early speech development is reliant on proper dental hygiene. “As soon as a child’s teeth begin to emerge, they should be brushed by an adult,” Alok says. “By the time kids are one-and-a-half or two years old, an adult should be brushing their teeth at least twice a day for a full two minutes, starting in the back near the molars where cavities are more likely to form.” For kids that are three years old and under, a toothpaste dollop the size of a grain of rice should suffice. For those three to six years old, a pea-size amount of toothpaste is best.Teething is a milestone that doesn’t come without aches and pains. But chew on this: we’re here to help you tackle proper dental care every step of the way.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Teeth: You may think of them as simple bones in our mouths, but they’re much more powerful than they appear. Teeth are designed to withstand anything hot, cold, chewy, soft, or hard thrown at them—and growing them is no walk in the park.

Teeth: You may think of them as simple bones in our mouths, but they’re much more powerful than they appear. Teeth are designed to withstand anything hot, cold, chewy, soft, or hard thrown at them—and growing them is no walk in the park.

Help! My Kid is Teething and Miserable. What do I do?Published: February 1, 2021Alok Patel: Teeth—enamored by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body.Bethany Van Delft: They’re just teeth!Alok Patel: Just teeth?Bethany Van Delft: Yes!Alok Patel: Teeth are designed to withstand hot foods, cold foods, chewy things, soft things, hard things, all of it. Teeth are incredible. We should probably take a bite out of this topic.Bethany Van Delft: Let’s do it.Alok Patel: Even before your children’s teeth start to come in, we encourage parents to use a soft washcloth, and clean that gumline so kids get the idea that their mouths need to be cleaned.And we get into the world of teething...Bethany Van Delft: Teething!Alok Patel: Let’s run through the teething timeline—how we go from a gummy, cute mouth to the rise of baby teeth, to the fall of baby teeth, and then the emergence of beautiful, pearly white adult teeth. Now, teething starts usually in the front bottom and then the top in the first year of life. And it takes about two to three years moving towards the back. [Onscreen: 20 baby teeth total] That’s when teeth come in. This is how they erupt.When baby teeth start to fall out, they also start in the very front. Tooth fairy, get ready. But they fall out at the same time, roughly in the bottom and the top, and then they again start falling out towards the back. This starts at around year six and seven and usually finishes around when kids are around 10 to 14.And during this entire time, as toddlers are growing, so are their jaws because they have to make enough room for all those adult teeth. And in the process, the baby teeth are almost acting like permanent little space fillers for the soon to be adult teeth.Even before you actually see permanent teeth, they’re all right below the baby teeth, pushing on those roots saying, “Get out of my way.” And if you look at this on an X-ray, try not to get alarmed. It kind of looks like a horror show.The permanent teeth literally push up on the baby teeth, dissolve the roots, and kick the baby teeth out and settle into their new home. Now, the entire process of permanent teeth replacing baby teeth is called exfoliation.And the eruption of permanent teeth usually happens in pairs as well. So it’s twice the fun. By the time kids are 13 years old, they should have 28 permanent adult ready-to-eat-the-world teeth. And by the time kids are 21, aside from probably annoying their parents a little bit more, they may also have one to four wisdom teeth as well.But let’s rewind to those first couple of years — when the wonder of teething begins.Alok Patel: Can you tell me about what teething was like for your kids?Bethany Van Delft: First of all, no one tells you about teething. There’s so many things that people don’t tell you about babies when you go into that new baby dealership and you’re like, “Oh, this one looks good!” No one says, “Beware of teething!”But it was tough. We went through a thousand styles of teething rings, teething baubles and giraffes and every kind of teething thing you can imagine. A cold washcloth is what worked.Alok Patel: A cold washcloth?Bethany Van Delft: Yes, Lulu loved a cold washcloth.Alok Patel: What was the recipe for the cold washcloth?Bethany Van Delft: Wet it, put it in the fridge, and wait for her to start shrieking. Then remove the washcloth from the fridge, insert it into her mouth, baby stops shrieking.I will say that anytime my first child cried, and there was no obvious reason, every mom around me said, “Oh, she’s teething!”Alok Patel: Default teething!Bethany Van Delft: Why is he acting like, why is he pooping? He’s teething! Babies poop when they teeth. What are real symptoms of teething?Alok Patel: So I’m gonna empathize with people who just attribute everything to teething because it can cause fussiness and irritability and babies have trouble eating and crying and it can make them feel warm. It’s not a real infectious fever. That’s different. But it can elevate their core body temperature. Here’s another fun one. Every now and then, a kid will get something we call referred pain, meaning he or she has pain from the gums…Bethany Van Delft: It’s like someone comes in and they’re like, “Hello, this pain we think would be a good fit for you.” Is it like that?Alok Patel: I’m gonna refer you pain…Bethany Van Delft: “I think you’ll like this pain very much. This seems to be the right pain for you.”Alok Patel: Well, the pain you refer to your kids would be ear pain, which can sometimes come from teething. So you’ll see kids and they’ll sit there and tug their ears or rub their cheeks. Or every now and again I’ll get a video on social media from a parent like, “Oh my gosh, my kid’s doing this weird thing.” And the baby will be kind of popping and locking. But in reality rubbing their ear cause they’re teething.Bethany Van Delft: But they’re not really good at it. Babies are no good at popping and locking. I know it’s a generalization.Alok Patel: But they’re great at teething.Now, baby teeth may be temporary, but they still have to be taken care of. Not only to prevent oral pain or infections, but also because permanent teeth, which are right below them, can also get damaged or decay if the baby teeth are not well cared for. And also, proper dental hygiene, starting young, is important for speech development.As soon as a child’s teeth begin to emerge, they should be brushed by an adult. By the time kids are about one and a half or two, an adult should be brushing their teeth at least twice a day for the full two minutes and you want to start in the back in the molars or cavities are more likely to be formed. For kids three and younger, use about a grain-of-rice size of fluoride toothpaste. For kids that are three to six, you can up that a little bit to another food object... I'm not going to say golfball — a pea-size! Honestly, just do your best to get into a routine and a rhythm with your child. If you can’t absolutely make that two minutes, it’s OK. Take a break. Try not to make it seem like a punishment or a chore. Try to do it in a way where everyone gets behind it and it's all good.We recommend that parents get to the dentist at one year of age, recommended by the American Dental Association.Bethany Van Delft: Did it!Alok Patel: How did that go for you and your kids?Bethany Van Delft: It was very loud. Lulu hated the dentist. But I will say I feel like that first visit is just like a get to know the dentist situation to see the chair and see all the little tools and kind of begin to learn what the expectations are when you go.Alok Patel: Totally. I mean, it’s like a risk assessment. You want to meet the family, kind of get a sense for dental hygiene practices, the kid’s health, and just kind of see where things are going.Bethany Van Delft: We got a book, we talked about the dentist, we showed them our mouths, which I’m not showing you, and they would go, “AHHH!” And I’d go, “Exactly. You have to brush your teeth every morning and every night. We have to go to the dentist or you’ll have a mouth like Mommy and Daddy.Alok Patel: And they were like, “OHHH.”Bethany Van Delft: “Ehhhh.”Alok Patel: But honestly, teething is super fascinating. If you just look at other members of the animal kingdom, you’ll appreciate how incredibly complex and awesome this process is. Check this out. Sharks are born with full rows of teeth. Some sharks actually have five rows of teeth and can have thousands of teeth ready to devour other things living in the ocean. And then there’s the naked mole rat who has two teeth that they can independently control. It's like chopsticks. But here’s what your child can do that they can’t — brush and floss, which are extremely crucial for dental health.Alok Patel: Are your kids good brushers now?Bethany Van Delft: They’re great brushers. Nico, stops the world and says, “I have to brush my teeth now,” and he just goes and brushes his teeth. It’s the cutest thing watching a three year old handle a toothbrush and he’s mimicking what he sees us do. He’s not exactly doing it, but he'll go… and it’s not touching teeth yet. So we guide him.Alok Patel: Kids shouldn’t be left with the independent task of brushing their own teeth until they’re about six or seven. [Onscreen: or whenever your child is ready] It’s a big responsibility and it requires some fine motor skills, which they develop around this time.Alok Patel: Flossing — your kids floss?Bethany Van Delft: They love flossing. They’re so weird.Alok Patel: Dang!Alok Patel: When younger kids have big spaces or gaps between their teeth, you don't necessarily need to floss. As kids get older and those gaps start to close and their teeth may touch, you will have to help your child and floss his or her teeth. And you’ll be able to check in on their progress from visits at the dentist.Bethany Van Delft: What’s your favorite prize in the prize box?Alok Patel: Do you remember the little thing that was a square and it was like one through nine, rearranged.Bethany Van Delft: Yes, that’s like pre-Sudoku.Alok Patel: And you could break it and cheat, or you could do it the proper way. That was my favorite.Bethany Van Delft: I bet you did it the proper way.Alok Patel: I used to try it because if I broke it, my mom would take it from me.Bethany Van Delft: That’s right. And look, and now you’re a doctor. Wow, and I am a comedian and my favorite toy was the thing that went, “oooooooo.”Alok Patel: That’s a pretty underrated toy.Bethany Van Delft: Yeah, so is my job.Alok Patel: Here's what it comes down to: Teething is a milestone. And it doesn’t come without its aches and pains. But there's essentially a battle happening. The bacteria want to throw a rave and party in your child's mouth and cause cavities. But with proper education and teaching your kid about good dental hygiene, your child's going to blow a whistle and send the bacteria home.Bethany Van Delft: Alright, let’s do this and get out before she wakes up, okay?Alok Patel: Being a tooth fairy is so cool. It’s like a time-honored tradition since the Middle Ages. Every culture has their own version. You got Ratón Pérez in Latin America, Topolino in Italy, La Petite Souris in France, in Asia sometimes they take the…Bethany Van Delft: Let’s just do this and get out.Alok Patel: Okay. So what do we do, put like 100 bucks under her pillow?Bethany Van Delft: 100 bucks, are you insane?Alok Patel: I don’t know, kids are demanding these days.Bethany Van Delft: How bout some NOVA stickers?Alok Patel: Does any kid actually want those?Bethany Van Delft: Yes, she wants them.Alok Patel: Okay.Bethany Van Delft: Let’s go before she wakes up.Alok Patel: Alright, done.

Have you ever put your little one peacefully to bed only to hear them crying out in distress later in the night? Dreams and nightmares, which occur during REM sleep, are a normal part of human brain activity—and they don’t stop as you get older. We provide an understanding of the frightening episodes your child may be experiencing, so you can help your little one navigate through the night.

How can you acknowledge that your child has fear and help them get through it?

Kids' Nightmares & Sleep Terrors: When to Worry

Hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft offer an understanding of the frightening episodes your child may be experiencing when they go to sleep, so you can help your little one navigate through the night. Nightmares can be brought on by something a child sees during their waking hours, like a book, show, or movie. But they can also be related to trauma or brought on by life changes or a specific event.Humans evolved to recognize that what they can’t see might hurt them, meaning many children are afraid of the dark. Now that we live in houses, apartments, and other types of shelters, a physical barrier between us and “whatever may be out there” exists. Young children may have a hard time distinguishing between what’s real and imaginary, making it challenging for many to grasp that what’s “out there” can’t get in—including that fictitious monster hiding under the bed.How can you acknowledge that your child has fear and help them get through it? A night light and comforting toys may help, Bethany says. “As you’re helping your child get through something like sleeping in the dark or dealing with nightmares, you want to give them an element of control,” Alok adds.Unlike nightmares, sleep terrors tend to occur during non-REM sleep. “Night terrors are these frightening reactions where kids can kick, thrash or scream for seemingly no reason,” Alok says. “They may have an elevated heart rate, sweating, or even dilated pupils.” Sleep terrors can be caused by caffeine, stress, new medications, or sleep deprivation. And while there’s no genetic proof that night terrors are hereditary, they tend to run in families.If your child suffers from nightmares or sleep terrors, it’s worth checking whether something external or internal (i.e., a medication) is causing frequent sleep disturbances. (If your child is excessively tired during the day, you might want to contact their pediatrician.) Ultimately, the easier it is for your little one to catch some Zs, the easier it will be for you, too.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Have you ever put your little one peacefully to bed only to hear them crying out in distress later in the night? Dreams and nightmares, which occur during REM sleep, are a normal part of human brain activity—and they don’t stop as you get older.

Have you ever put your little one peacefully to bed only to hear them crying out in distress later in the night? Dreams and nightmares, which occur during REM sleep, are a normal part of human brain activity—and they don’t stop as you get older.

Kids' Nightmares &amp; Sleep Terrors: When to WorryPublished: February 15, 2021Bethany Van Delft: Like I put Nico down one night. I was like, “This is great. He is sleeping through the night. Everything is good. Life is back on track.” And in the middle of the night I heard screaming from his room. And I went in the room and Nico was like, “Don’t cut my cake! Don’t cut my cake!” And he’s like, “Don’t cut my cake!” He was asleep! He was completely asleep.Alok Patel: So here’s the thing about nightmares, They usually happen during REM sleep. That’s rapid eye movements. Usually in the second half of the night when these REM intervals actually get longer. And it’s really interesting because it happens in this phase of sleep where children can actually have nightmares and then wake up and remember them. They may seem vivid. They may have part of the memory, but nonetheless, it feels very real, can be traumatizing and they can have strong emotions afterwards.Now, we don’t really know exactly what triggers nightmares... could be brought on by something a child sees. A book, a mystery crime show, could be changes in the child’s life. It could also be related to trauma. So anything that’s happening in that little brain could trigger a nightmare.Bethany, are your kids afraid of the dark?Bethany Van Delft: They’ve been saying they’re afraid of the dark a little bit lately, but I don’t know if they are afraid of the dark or if they are very interested in ways to get out of bed.Alok Patel: So it’s not that they’re afraid of the dark, they just love the light. Bethany Van Delft: They just love not going to bed.Alok Patel: They have FOMO of what’s happening. Bethany Van Delft: They have FOMA. They are “Fond Of Mommy Annoying.” That’s what it is. FOMA.Alok Patel: Can I walk off set? They’re not afraid of the dark, but a lot of kids are.Darkness does have a little bit of a connotation, you know, in human history. Darkness was often associated with danger and predators lurking in the shadows.Bethany Van Delft: Like saber tooth tigers.Alok Patel: Possibly.Bethany Van Delft: Wooly mammoths. All kinds of scary things.Alok Patel: I don’t know about wooly mammoths, but like things that were going to hurt us. But young kids don’t always understand the difference between reality and fantasy, so they may actually think there’s a monster under their bed when there really isn’t.And oftentimes when kids are in that preschool age, they tend to be more imaginative. So more things can actually wind up in that nightmare of theirs. And it’s only around this age or a little bit older when they start to realize that it’s not real. Even though it’s just a dream, that doesn’t change how scary it might feel.And even though we don’t share that fear because we know the difference between a monster and reality, it’s important you acknowledge that your child has a fear and help them get through it. Do you have any tricks for when your kids might be scared at night, even though you say that sometimes they’re not? Bethany Van Delft: I don’t think they are, but we got him a little night light that plugs into the wall. It’s like orange-ish yellow. It says it doesn’t disrupt sleep. Lulu doesn’t, she’s never, really needed a comfort toy. But Nico needed it. But it took him a long time. Took him a lot of swiping right to find his match. And now he has Fafa, a little Scottish terrier.Alok Patel: Scottish terrier protects…Bethany Van Delft: Protects him. He holds Fafa all the time. He gets up in the middle of the night to go potty and he’s got Fafa under his arm. He goes down the hall and goes potty and comes back with Fafa.Alok Patel: So I like that because here’s the thing. Fafa represents Nico’s autonomy. So as you’re helping your child get through something like sleeping in the dark or nightmares, you want to give them a little element of control. And that could be Fafa. Bethany Van Delft: Right. So he’s like, I’m with Fafa. I’m untouchable. And he’s not afraid.Alok Patel: Or you could give them anti-monster spray, which could just be water. And be like, do you wanna get rid of the monsters in your room and actively participate with them until they learn that there’s nothing to be afraid of.Bethany Van Delft: So spray monsters spray under the bed?Alok Patel: It’s giving them something to do in the same way Fafa is protecting Nico from anything else. Because if you constantly go in your child’s room and look under the bed, all it’s going to do is reinforce their fear. We don’t want that to happen.Bethany Van Delft: We don’t? No. No, we don’t. I just want him to call me when he gets older. Just a phone call.Alok Patel: Don’t tell him there’s monsters under his bed.Bethany Van Delft: I mean, if it makes him call when he’s like 25. If nightmare’s like cutting cake and gorillas and burglars, what’s a night terror because that sounds terrifying so what’s a night terror?Alok Patel: And they actually look terrifying to parents and the way they’re described. Kids can seemingly kick, thrash, or scream for seemingly no reason. They may have an elevated heart rate, sweating. They may even have dilated pupils.Night terrors tend to occur 2-3 hours after children fall asleep, and parents are often baffled, like what caused this so it’s so scary. It tends to happen during non-REM sleep. Thing is, as we sleep, there’s tons of information running through millions and millions of neurons. And for whatever reason, the fight or flight part of the nervous system gets turned on, causing those scary looking behaviors and movements. And they look like they’re awake while they’re still really asleep.Bethany Van Delft: They remember no part of it.Alok Patel: Usually don’t. I’ve had parents tell me that they went in the kid’s room and the kid was sitting up and screaming and trying to get out of bed. And then over the course of 20 minutes, they slowly calmed their kid down, woke him up, and he didn’t remember a single thing.Bethany Van Delft: Oh, wow.Alok Patel: If they happen infrequently, it’s not a big deal. Sometimes they can be caused by things like caffeine, stress, new medications, or even really bad sleep deprivation. Night terrors tend to happen in children ages 3-12 but can happen as young as 18 months. As kids get older, all these events tend to decrease, and that’s because the amount of time we spend in the stage of sleep where night terrors occur decreases.Now, night terrors tend to run in families. So because of this, some people think there’s a genetic component to them. Although this hasn’t been proven yet.But as always, with night terrors, nightmares or even difficulty sleeping, you want to make sure there’s nothing else underlying that could be the cause. Like medical things, external environment, other medical conditions, stress, anxiety, trauma. Is there something bothering your child at school? Anything like this. And if your child seems like they’re excessively tired during the day, that’s a sign that their sleep is truly being disrupted. And in that case, you do want to check with your doctor.But even giving kids this kind of protective environment, easing them into sleep can take away some of the anxiety if they have it, and help promote restful sleep, which we know is great for them and amazing for parents.Bethany Van Delft: In the dream, I was in my bed and I was looking out the window, and it was daytime. And I grew up in the Bronx, so the big high-rise apartment building across the street, I’m looking at it, and a giant, giant gorilla as tall as the building walked up to the building kind of like this. And was just picking people out of windows and munching on them like sunflower seeds. So I scream and go, “Nooooo.” And I wake up.Alok Patel: That nightmare sounds like it’d be a pretty legit movie. What if the gorilla came in, cutting the cake. The gorilla’s like, “Bavarian chocolate!”Bethany Van Delft: I didn’t get you but I’ll get your son. Cutting the cake, cutting the cake, cutting the cake.

In this episode of Parentalogic, hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft explore how a possible evolutionary glitch in the immune system—responsible for protecting you and your little ones from harmful invaders—may have caused itchy, irritating, nauseating allergic reactions. And, Alok and Bethany explore a potential hypothesis that could prevent allergies from forming in the first place.

Food, drug, or seasonal allergies. Discover the science behind why they form.

What are Allergies?

If your child suffers from allergies, you’re probably itching for some answers as to why. In this episode of Parentalogic, hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft explore how a possible evolutionary glitch in the immune system—responsible for protecting you and your little ones from harmful invaders—may have caused itchy, irritating, nauseating allergic reactions. And, Alok and Bethany explore a potential hypothesis that could prevent allergies from forming in the first place.An allergic reaction happens when the body perceives a harmless substance as a dangerous invader. The body then produces proteins—or antibodies—called IGE (immunoglobulin E). IGE “sees” a foreign invader and alerts other cells, which release chemicals that cause those allergy symptoms you or your child know and hate.Scientists are still trying to understand the basis for allergens. Why do some people have a really bad response to food or other allergens while other people don’t? Sure, allergies all stem from IGE, which our ancestors evolved to protect against actual everyday invaders—worms, parasites, and environmental threats included. In our modern world, IGE has become a mechanism that can sometimes take a harmless invader (hello, peanut butter and Fido) and give us an expulsion response. That’s why allergies come with sneezing, hives, vomiting, or other reactions meant to eject a perceived threat from you or your little one’s body.How legitimate is the hygiene hypothesis? Can keeping your home too clean make your child more likely to develop allergies? Should your child get their hands literally dirty (and covered in earthworms)? And is the 5-second rule meant to be broken?<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Food allergies, drug allergies, seasonal allergies: Discover the science behind why they form and if there’s any truth to the idea that playing in the mud works as an allergen preventative.

Food allergies, drug allergies, seasonal allergies: Discover the science behind why they form and if there’s any truth to the idea that playing in the mud works as an allergen preventative.

What are Allergies?Published: March 3, 2021Bethany Van Delft: So like, keep your kids in the mud? Is that, is that what I’m hearing right now? Get your kids dirty. Like give them mud baths?Dude. There’s so many categories of allergies. Give it to me in list form. That’s how I like to see things. Lists. Boom, boom, boom, go.Alok Patel: So the main categories, food is a big category. Seasonal allergies is another category.Bethany Van Delft: Ragweed.Alok Patel: You proud of it? Like, Ragweed! Another big one I see all the time in the clinic are drug allergies, especially to antibiotics. Also, insects. People think about bees and dust mites. But did you know cockroaches are a big cause of allergy responses and asthma?Bethany Van Delft: I didn’t know, but that does not surprise me.Alok Patel: Pets like dogs and cats are also a huge cause of allergies in children and well, everyone.Bethany Van Delft: Saliva and dander, right?Alok Patel: Yeah.Bethany Van Delft: I was allergic to my great dane’s saliva. Great Danes have lots of drool and he would shake his head and it just like slap me and I’d break out in a giant welt as soon as it hit. And my mom would be like, “well wash your face then!” That was it.Alok Patel: Mold is another category. We can’t forget things that come in contact with your skin, you know, certain soaps, lotions, detergents, even metals like titanium, nickel. People can get allergic symptoms from all these different mechanisms.An allergic reaction essentially happens when the body perceives a harmless substance as a dangerous invader and goes and makes these proteins or antibodies call the IgE. IgE then sees a foreign invader and goes to other cells which released chemicals that causes allergy symptoms you all know and hate. If a child has an allergic reaction to particular food. You may think that’s the first time he or she has ever seen the allergen. But we know it’s at least the second time the child’s body has seen the allergen because the IGE antibodies are already there.Scientists are still trying to understand the basis for allergies and why some people have a really bad response to some foods or allergens and others don’t. We know that it all stems from IgE, which was designed to protect us. IgE antibodies protected our ancestors from worms, parasites and environmental threats every day. Perhaps even a lethal snake which might be lurking in a greenhouse in a grocery store. Who knows? But somehow the IgE has now turned into this mechanism that can sometimes take a harmless invader and give us this expulsion response. So basically an allergy will come in your body and IgE will be like, get out. And that’s why allergies come with things like sneezing, hives, vomiting, anything to eject what was once a worm or a parasite, and now could be a simple food allergy. So in the end, there’s a lot we don’t understand and it might just be a glitch in the immune system which was designed to protect us, but is now calling harmless substances dangerous invaders.Bethany Van Delft: What about maybe keeping things too clean has something to do with allergies? Like what is too clean? How could you be too clean? You know?Alok Patel: You’re referring to hygiene hypothesis.Bethany Van Delft: That is...Alok Patel: You knew that!Bethany Van Delft: Exactly what I’m referring to!Alok Patel: It seems counterintuitive because you want to keep your kitchen clean, you want to keep your kids clean, but with hygiene hypothesis is basically getting at, and there’s actually some data to support it, basically says that when children are very young, their exposure to the world of dirt, microbes, that’s bacteria, viruses, you know, their environment can help prime their immune system and teach their immune system what’s harmful and what’s not and prevent future allergies. And there’s actually some studies to support this, including one in the United States, which found that the Amish community had a lower rate of allergies in comparison to other communities, including other farming communities. You can even take that and look at it on a grander scale, because some data suggest we have a higher rate of allergies in industrialized developed countries like the U.S. of A than they do in developing countries. So hygiene hypothesis is probably a thing.Bethany Van Delft: So like, keep your kids in the mud? Is that is that what I’m hearing right now? Get your kids dirty. Like give them mud baths.Alok Patel: This is why this is why we say it’s a hypothesis. Because it’s an idea. And we think that in the future we might be able to look at the Amish culture or look at hygiene hypothesis and kind of give parents recommendations. But as of right now, it’s like use your maternal common sense. Don’t let your kids touch raw meat, for example. Hey, you know what? Maybe if they get their hands dirty, they play in a sandbox. It’s not going be the end of the world.Bethany Van Delft: OK. Or like if they a scrap of food off the floor?Alok Patel: Well, this isn’t evidence based either, but scrap of food, almond. Oh, no, it’s on the floor! One, two, three, four, five. I did it.Bethany Van Delft: Yum.Alok Patel: Did it. Don’t tell anyone. Don’t show anyone.Bethany Van Delft: Don’t try this at home, we’re professionals.Alok Patel: We’re rebels.Bethany Van Delft: Al-mond ... Allmonds.Alok Patel: I don’t know what an oh-mend is.Bethany Van Delft: An oh-mend is when you ... something bad is happening. It’s a foreboding of something to come.Alok Patel: This is a debate though.Bethany Van Delft: This is a bad oh-men

Not wanting a guardian to leave their side is a natural feeling for small children to experience; many adjust to their new surroundings within minutes of their loved ones (temporarily) leaving them. But if your at-the-door goodbyes aren’t getting easier with time, Parentalogic hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft are here to help.

If your at-the-door goodbyes aren’t getting easier, Parentalogic is here to help.

Managing Separation Anxiety

Not wanting a guardian to leave their side is a natural feeling for small children to experience; many adjust to their new surroundings within minutes of their loved ones (temporarily) leaving them. But if your at-the-door goodbyes aren’t getting easier with time, Parentalogic hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft are here to help.Humans are wired for attachment, so it’s no wonder that children—who’ve spent the majority of their lives linked to their caregivers—can become whiny, irritable, or fearful when parents or guardians leave their side. These behaviors can start as early as 8 months. This is when children may begin to discern familiar faces from unfamiliar ones, growing wary of those they may not see on a regular basis. Children generally outgrow these feelings at around 3 to 4 years old, but every child is different.Whether you’re dropping your child off at daycare, grandma’s, or a friend’s house, cooling down your little one’s separation anxiety is all about giving your child reassurance and a sense of safety. “Keep the goodbyes quick. Give your child your full attention and love, but keep it brief,” Alok says. “Try not to keep running back for hugs, even if they cry.” Implementing a routine may help: “Make a routine, keep it consistent, and let your child know when you’ll be back to pick them up,” Alok says.In older children, separation anxiety can manifest in different ways. Though crying at drop-off may not occur as frequently as a middle-of-the-school-day stomach ache, feelings of anxiety or uncertainty may arise, stemming from the fact that their protective figure is no longer there. A child who’s uncomfortable with these feelings may behave poorly in order to get sent home. If these feelings are persistent and debilitating—perhaps your older child has missed several days of school—Alok suggests seeing a professional. “Cognitive behavioral therapy can help children learn to recognize their fear and anxiety, and manage it,” Alok says. “Then there’s exposure therapy, where you slowly increase the amount of time you’re spending away from your child.”Whether it’s a shorter or longer period of time, the earlier children are exposed to the world, the sooner they’ll feel comfortable breaking free and heading out on their own, Alok and Bethany suggest. And this, they say, is a key step in helping your child flourish and grow.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Your child may love the idea of going to school, interacting with other kids, and learning new things. But when it comes to leaving you—their parent or guardian—they may experience stress or anxiety.

Your child may love the idea of going to school, interacting with other kids, and learning new things. But when it comes to leaving you—their parent or guardian—they may experience stress or anxiety.

Managing Separation AnxietyPublished: March 15, 2021Alok Patel: Bethany, how old is your son, Nico?Bethany Van Delft: He is three.Alok Patel: Three. What is drop off like for him, when you have to drop him off somewhere?Bethany Van Delft: He likes the idea of going to school. And then we get to school, and he opens the gate, and he opens the door, and then I say, “Okay, I’ll see you in a little while.” And then he goes, “No, don’t go.”Alok Patel: And when he gets upset, you’re usually like, shut the door, “Peace!”Bethany Van Delft: Sometimes it turns into a whole thing. He’ll cling… and it’s really, really, really hard. But most times, I just give him a kiss and a hug and leave.Alok Patel: And it works.Bethany Van Delft: The teacher always texts me right after, “He was fine ten minutes after you left.”Alok Patel: So this represents a little bit of separation anxiety. Did Nico do this when he was 9 months old — 8 to 9 months, when we usually see it for the first time?Bethany Van Delft: Yeah. The screaming at the top of his lungs, the “no one can hold me but you” stage. Yes, yes­­­.Alok Patel: That’s another word for it.Bethany Van Delft: It was like the second he could tell, “Momma. Not momma.” That was the first time it started.Alok Patel: Did it get better afterwards?Bethany Van Delft: It got better after a few months.Alok Patel: Generally speaking, and again this is not the case for every single kid—this is not some golden rule—we usually see children at around ­­8 or 9 months develop that “stranger danger.” They’re like, “Oh my gosh, familiar, protective face. Not familiar, protective face.” I don’t want to be around this stranger. It totally happens. But when kids are around one, somewhere between one and two, they’re like, “Whoa, this world is amazing, and I can explore it. I don’t need my parents.”Bethany Van Delft: “I got places to go.”Alok Patel: “I got places to cruise.”Bethany Van Delft: “I gotta go there. I gotta go there.”Alok Patel: But then, a little bit later on, they start to understand, “Okay, this is the world, this is the protective place I live in, and I actually need my parent for survival.” Now I should say that kids can become whiny, irritable, or fearful when their parents leave them — starting as early as around 8 or 9 months. It’s normal for infants and toddlers to go through this. Kids usually outgrow it around 3 or 4 years old, but again, every child is different.Sometimes, toddlers will become clingy, irritable, and demanding when they reunite with their parents. This type of anxiety isn’t separation per se. Because it’s more based on the child needing that protection and security from their parent after they spent time apart.Bethany Van Delft: But what is the deal? What is making them do that?Alok Patel: We’re literally wired for attachment. One way we think about it is, it’s almost like a fight or flight response. Like, parent is leaving. There goes my source of protection, shelter, and nutrition. And kids panic. All of a sudden, adrenaline kicks in, pupils dilate, they cry, sweat, scream, go into a fit. They freak out. Some studies suggest the hypothalamus and amygdala, the good old fear and emotional centers, might be at play here.Bethany Van Delft: So it’s a survival thing, really.Alok Patel: Now, how about some quick tips to help with separation anxiety? These may come in handy, whether you’re dropping your child off at daycare, grandma’s, a friend’s house, whatever.It’s all about giving your child reassurance and a sense of safety. Rituals can really help with this. Keep the goodbyes quick. Give your child your full attention and love, but keep it brief. Try not to keep running back for hugs, even if they cry.Bethany Van Delft: The important thing is to not let him feel insecure. So if the fear is that I’m not coming back, I reassure him so often, “I’ll be back, I’ll be back.” We have little songs about it.Alok Patel: Make a routine, and try to keep the timing consistent. Let your child know when you’ll be back to pick them up, and make sure you’re on time.Bethany Van Delft: I say things like, “In just a little while, I’ll see you in a little while,” so that he knows it’s really not that long a time before he sees me again. I feel like staying and hanging out an extra 10, 15 minutes makes it much harder to separate. Give him a chance to self-soothe really, rather than be there to help him soothe.Alok Patel: You might try to schedule those separations for after naps or feedings since kids are more likely to feel separation anxiety when they’re tired or hungry. You could even talk to your daycare about having your child bring a favorite toy or object with them.The more predictable the situation, the less fear and anxiety. And hopefully, your little one will learn to embrace their newfound independence.Sometimes it manifests in different ways, especially with the anticipation, or the lead up to possible separation. For example, in some older children, it might not be clinging to the leg and crying and “don’t leave me.” It might be a stomachache in the middle of school, it might be a headache, it might be anxiety. It might come across as something that doesn’t immediately seem like separation anxiety, but stems from the fact that the protective figure is no longer there.If one of your friends said to you, “Hey, my 8-year-old for the past week is all of a sudden really sad about going to school,” what would you think as a mother?Bethany Van Delft: I feel like if it was Lulu and she’s 8 and she was behaving that way, I would be very concerned. And I would check out what’s going on at school, what’s going on in her environment, who is she spending time with, is she ever alone with anybody? I would definitely find out what’s going on.Alok Patel: Yeah, so we tease out, absolutely, bullying, a situation that this child’s not comfortable with, are they staying with a guardian that doesn’t treat them well? And then once all those are taken out of the equation, you then look to see, is it separation anxiety?When we start talking about it as a clinical condition, and we use that word “separation anxiety disorder,” that’s usually when we’re talking about older children.Bethany Van Delft: And you’ve ruled out all the other things.Alok Patel: Kids are now heading into 6, 7, 8 years old or later. Though we can even see this with preschoolers. They’re having these symptoms for a long period of time. It’s debilitating them. It’s affecting parents’ ability to separate from them, go to work, go out. It’s affecting children’s ability to go to school, it’s affecting their schoolwork, them playing with friends, that’s when you’re talking about the disorder.Bethany Van Delft: That’s when you add “disorder.” And that’s when you certainly want to seek treatment of some sort.Alok Patel: I was gonna say. At the very least, at that stage, that’s when you want to talk to a professional, and see what can be done?Bethany Van Delft: I can see how if that went on for extended periods, it would probably be really tough.Alok Patel: In some kids, you need to try something that’s like cognitive behavioral therapy. And this can help children learn to recognize their fear and anxiety, and manage it. Then there’s exposure therapy — which is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy — where you increase slowly incrementally the amount of time you’re spending away from your child in those situations. There’s also something called Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, which considers how parenting style and behavior impact how a child deals with their anxiety. The idea is for both the parent and kid to work on improving these interactions. However, in some cases, separation anxiety can be really bad. Some of these kids may actually need prescription medication, which is okay. And you know what, if it’s not handled early in children, it can actually progress into adolescence. Regardless of what it is, it’s important that your individual child is ­­­­listened to and that your health care professional is looking at all the variables.Alok Patel: Is it ruining date night for mom and dad? Is it ruining vacations? How does it affect your life, all these questions.Bethany Van Delft: Well, what is date night? Do parents leave and do something fun alone? Oh my gosh, can you write me a prescription for that?Alok Patel: I’m just going to shut my mouth because…Bethany Van Delft: I’m going to give it to Lulu and Nico and be like, “Dr. Alok said we can get out of here.” Peace!Alok Patel: You have to live your life. You’ve got to live your life, momma. You just left me hanging.Bethany Van Delft: Oh, pshh. Cause I was living my life in my head.

Eczema, allergic asthma, and allergic rhinitis are three hyper-allergic conditions—often called the atopic triad. The link between these conditions is complicated, even for doctors and scientists. But having one may increase the chances of your child having another hyper-allergic condition. We are here with suggestions on who to talk to when your child is dealing with any of these conditions.

Eczema, allergic asthma, and allergic rhinitis are three hyper-allergic conditions.

Understanding Allergies, Asthma, and Eczema

“We don’t completely understand why some people have really bad allergies versus others,” Alok says. Doctors do know that having eczema as a baby is a risk factor for allergies later in life. And though allergies can be inherited, just because a parent suffers from an atopic condition does not mean a child will, too.Asthma is a little different. Coughing, wheezing, and chest tightness—its symptoms—can be brought on by an allergic reaction. But asthma can also be triggered by respiratory colds, cigarette smoke, and other external factors.“There is even exercise-induced asthma,” Alok explains. Pediatricians and primary care providers do their best to keep a history of the patient’s symptoms that sound like asthma—and parents should, too. “Remember: Use your instinct,” Alok says. If your child has a skin condition that you are worried might turn into anaphylaxis, a severe reaction, or hives, you can call your doctor just to check what’s happening. “It could be wheezing that you think is asthma. But it could be an inhaled Lego.”“When in doubt, go to an allergist,” Bethany says. After all, knowing that nothing is wrong is better than being left wondering.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Eczema, allergic asthma, and allergic rhinitis are three hyper-allergic conditions—often called the atopic triad—that tend to affect certain people, including kids. 

The link between these conditions is complicated, even for doctors and scientists. But having one may increase the chances of your child having another hyper-allergic condition.
 
How can you tell if your child’s rash might clear up on its own or is indicative of an allergy? Hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft are here with suggestions on who to talk to when your little one is dealing with one or more of the “triad” conditions.

Eczema, allergic asthma, and allergic rhinitis are three hyper-allergic conditions—often called the atopic triad—that tend to affect certain people, including kids.The link between these conditions is complicated, even for doctors and scientists. But having one may increase the chances of your child having another hyper-allergic condition.How can you tell if your child’s rash might clear up on its own or is indicative of an allergy? Hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft are here with suggestions on who to talk to when your little one is dealing with one or more of the “triad” conditions.

Understanding Allergies, Asthma, and EczemaPublished: March 30, 2001Bethany Van Delft: So what's the relationship between allergies and asthma? Are they the same, are they cousins, like what's going on?Alok Patel: They might be cousins if we were talking about the pathophysiology familyBethany: Pathophysiology!Alok: When we look at people with different types of allergies, we use something called the atopic triad, and so they're basically these three types of hyper allergenic conditions, triad.One of them is allergic asthma. One is eczema and one is allergic rhinitis. By allergic rhinitis, I mean hay fever. I mean the sneezing and runny nose that you would get from seasonal allergies. And we call it that triad because people who have one often will have another. They often those three conditions come together. So anyone who has this condition, they tend to just be hyper allergic.Bethany: So what's eczema? Is eczema an allergy like that, an allergy in itself? Does it cause allergies? Like what is the relationship?Alok: Dang, so...Bethany: Did I stump you?Alok: Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. Stop the press.Bethany: Stump the doc.Alok: I'm allowed to take like a minute to think about.Bethany: No, you're not! You’re supposed to be like the answer to that is Alok: So eczema, eczema, eczema can be caused by an allergy. It can be caused by an allergy. If you have an analogy to something that's gonna come in contact with your skin, that can cause an exhibit as flare like that. A. exemptive that can cause a flare up.Bethany: Sounds like a luxury car.Alok: But here's the thing. A lot of eczema is not caused by allergies themselves. That's more of a hypersensitivity of your skin.Bethany: So what I would say, like a tip off, that you might also be sensitive to other things.Alok: So that's a good point, because eczema itself, whether it's caused by an allergy or not, can still increase your risk of having a food allergy, especially in babies.Bethany: Ok, you say allergic asthma. Is there another type of asthma? Alok: Yeah. So it really depends on the trigger asthma itself. Is this short term or long term condition in which the tubes in your lungs can kind of spasm and they get narrower. And then you have this immune response which causes things like chest tightness, trouble breathing, wheezing, et cetera. Allergies can induce that OK, however, other things can as well. So things like certain respiratory colds can also cause that. Allergic asthma is when you get that reaction to an allergen, which we've talked about. But you can also get it from occupational things of some substance you may be working with or around, for example, like cigarette smoke or other chemicals. Kids can also get it from exercise. We call it exercise induced asthma. You can also get it from respiratory colds such as RSV or different types of viruses. So it all depends on the trigger. But oftentimes the symptoms can be very similar.Bethany: So it's tricky for doctors to figure out if it's allergic asthma or asthma, asthma,Alok: The intellectual hairs on my back just stood up!We actually really take a good history. If and when parents talk to us about symptoms which sound like asthma.Bethany: I keep journals of symptoms and reactions. I take a lot of pictures of cracks and little dry patches.Alok: Those are helpful.All that stuff is really helpful for doctors to be able to say, like, is this an allergy or is it a cold or is it something else? Or it really helps them kind of narrow it down and remember this, your parental instinct, because if it's like, you know, a skin condition, but you're worried it may turn into anaphylaxis or severe reaction, you're still going to see. Yes, if you see hives, you don't know what it is. It's OK to call your doctor breathing issue, even even moving away from allergies. We're going to always say to call your doctor, because here's the thing. You might hear wheezing and say, oh, this is just asthma, but it could actually be an inhaled Lego. Seen that before, which will also cause wheezing. So you don't want to you don't sit at home and try to play disease. Detective, your kid is having trouble breathing because it could be a range of different things, not just asthma.Bethany: So asthma, eczema.Alok: Allergic rhinitis, allergic rhinitis, you got two out of three of the atopic triad,And remember, those things tend to cluster in certain individuals, but also genetics play a part. It's hard to try to tease this out. It's confusing for even me, less confusing for allergists.So when in doubt, go to...Bethany: an allergist!

If your child is meeting milestones a little later than their peers, it’s no cause for alarm. We illustrate how different children develop uniquely, and how your child’s growth may affect what they need from you, whether it be an adapted education or environment, or just patience.

Hearing that “your child should be doing X by Y age” can make you worry.

Is My Kid Behind? Real Talk About Milestones

After all, children develop differently. And whether you feel stress or pride toward your little one’s development and progress, milestones “are just a framework of moments that experts use to track how a child is developing, and how they’re developing skills,” host Alok Patel says.If your child is meeting milestones a little later than their peers, it’s no cause for alarm. Alok and co-host Bethany Van Delft illustrate how different children develop uniquely, and how your child’s growth may affect what they need from you, whether it be an adapted education or environment, or just patience.Although the milestone framework helps pediatricians and other healthcare providers track a child’s development, it may not best represent children with cerebral palsy or Down syndrome, or on the autism spectrum, for instance. A child with Down syndrome may walk at a later age and the milestone framework should reflect that, too.In the early stages of life, a baby’s brain grows rapidly. A baby’s environment and the type and level of interaction they experience often determine what they glean at this time. Typically, a baby’s vision and hearing are among the first things to develop. When it comes to language, babies babble as they begin to understand their world—and as their brains continue to grow, they develop problem-solving skills.As children become more comfortable with their surroundings, they’ll generally experience a gradual progression and hit their developmental milestones. A baby’s spontaneous smile will first progress into laughing. Then, smiling and laughing may lead to the development of facial expressions that convey more complex feelings about the baby’s surroundings. Similarly, a child’s motor skills may begin with the child hitting an object. This progresses into the child slowly raking their hand over the item and finally holding it with a precise pincer grasp.Children who are victims of abuse, malnutrition, or neglect can suffer developmental delays that affect them for years afterward. And this “is why it’s so important to shield kids from all these things,” says Patel. “In addition, we should support child brain development as much as we can in the early phases, and we’re identifying any red flags on those milestone charts.”<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Hearing that “your child should be doing X by Y age” can make you worry—and can make many families whose children have special needs feel left out.

Hearing that “your child should be doing X by Y age” can make you worry—and can make many families whose children have special needs feel left out.

Is My Kid Behind? Real Talk About MilestonesPublished: April 12, 2021Bethany Van Delft: Milestones are the most stressful thing in the world. You know, “Oh, that baby’s walking, that baby’s not, what’s my baby doing, is my baby going to go to Harvard, oh my God.” Like, it’s so stressful. Why do you do that to us is what I’m asking?Alok Patel: Listen. Here...Bethany Van Delft: Why can’t a baby just be a baby?Alok Patel: Overall, developmental milestones are essentially just a framework of moments that experts use to track how a child is developing, and if they’re developing skills. We look at milestones that may look at gross or fine motor movements, social cognition development, language, emotions, and every child develops at his or her own pace. Do not stress about it because it’s just kind of a little checklist for us.Bethany Van Delft: I really love that because our daughter has Down Syndrome. And so she walked when she was two years and three months, which was very typical for a child with Down Syndrome.Alok Patel: Absolutely.Bethany Van Delft: But sometimes looking at those charts and hearing the language, “This is what your baby is supposed to be doing” definitely makes us feel left out and makes a lot of families with children with special needs feel left out. Like it’s a tool that you use to see how a baby is developing skills.Alok Patel: I don’t think parents should look at these charts and compare them to every other kid. It’s more looking at where your kids is at. A child with autism spectrum, cerebral palsy, certain hearing issues, they may develop differently than other children.Bethany Van Delft: I think for lots and lots of parents it’s something joyful to look forward to. But I learned those charts are more for doctors to give you a timeframe when to look into something.Alok Patel: Could be cool, could be no big deal, or there may be something more we need to do. And sometimes the wording comes across as normal versus abnormal, or concerning, or this is a problem, but it’s more…Bethany Van Delft: Y’all need to work on that, that’s all.Alok Patel: You should lead a training.Bethany Van Delft: I will, I will.Alok Patel: I’m actually being serious.Bethany Van Delft: So how does this work exactly?Alok Patel: So in general, if you’re looking at the developmental milestones, there’s a progression of what kids will do from birth until they’re old and moving out. And by moving out, I mean, like, 12 months old. So for example, your child will start by spontaneous smiles, which then turn into laughing, kind of understanding their world.Bethany Van Delft: When do they understand their world? Have I not made that milestone yet? Oh my gosh, was I supposed to get there?Alok Patel: But there’s even things with their grasp where your child starts out by batting something, which then turns into raking their hand over it, which then turns into a fine grasp…Bethany Van Delft: Pincer.Alok Patel: Pincer. And then there’s the whole one about walking where your child eventually is rolling and then crawling and then cruising, or putting their hands on a sofa or chair and is walking, which then turns into—Bethany Van Delft: They walk like a mime. It’s like hand over hand. You know what, though, we were talking about all children develop differently. Nico, my son, he rolled over and then he got on his tummy and he went, “Nah,” and pulled up to a stand, cruised and ran. And then he learned how to crawl about two months ago. He’s three years old.Alok Patel: So I think in general, we say your kids can start with tummy time, meaning they are on their stomach on the ground for kids to build up some of their upper torso, their neck muscles, their hands, which will then help them later with things like crawling and rolling and yoga, apparently.Bethany Van Delft: Don’t forget—tummy time is also when you’re laying back on the couch and you have your baby on their tummy on your body. So it doesn’t have to be down on the mat, listening to them shriek blood murder like a pterodactyl. It could be very loving and intimate.Alok Patel: The physical development seems to be pretty straightforward, right? You build muscles, you can do a new task. Do you feel like the brain development is as transparent? Does it make sense?Bethany Van Delft: I don’t think any of it makes sense. That’s why I’m a comedian.Alok Patel: The brain is super cool. In the very, very, very early stages of life, the brain is growing rapidly. There are millions and millions and millions of neurons or nerve cells building these new connections every single day and developing some pathways that’ll stick there for life. And a lot of this has to do with your baby’s external environment, so your baby’s getting the right signals to make those connections. Are you interacting with your kid, does your kid have enough to look at, laugh at, and all the other things that we encourage parents to do.And usually what happens in kids is one of the first things to develop is the vision center and hearing center, then comes the language center—so things like babbling or cooing. Which are actually really complex because when babies babble or coo, they’re interacting with caregivers, which relies on cognitive, social, and emotional cues. Now, language learning starts early in year one and requires incredible cognitive activity. Even before they utter their first word, babies are listening and analyzing the language they hear. And then after that comes problem solving and trying to really figure out how to live in this complex world. This is why children who are victims of abuse or face malnutrition or neglect can have developmental delays or issues with brain development that’ll cause repercussions for years afterwards. Which is why it’s so important to shield kids from all these things. In addition, we should support child brain development as much as we can in the early phases, and we’re identifying any red flags on those milestone charts.Bethany Van Delft: I see these centers populated by little neurons, just sitting with little headsets, going, “Dee dee dee. Alright, language center… on!” And then all the little neurons are like, “Ehhh!” Is that what neurons do?Alok Patel: They kind of do look like that when they… That’s a pretty good analogy.Bethany Van Delft: And then it goes down to the baby’s mouth and then the baby goes, “Dada.” Cause Dada’s always first.Alok Patel: That’s just cause it’s easy to say.Bethany Van Delft: That’s why fathers chose Dada. This is what I believe, this is my theory. Fathers heard the first word—a baby went, “Dada” or “Papa” or “Baba.” And then the guy went, “That’s me.” Could have just as easily been the mom is what I’m saying. They called dibs first. And the mom is like, “Ahhh.” And dad came in and went, “Nope, I’m Baba. It’s meeee.”

Sleep is essential to children's growth and development. But no matter how many textbooks and parenting guides you read, it can be challenging to apply the self-soothing and Ferber methods to your actual child (especially when they're shrieking and crying for hours on end).

Sleep is essential to children's growth and development.

Three Doctor-Approved Sleep Training Methods Explained

When your child doesn’t learn to self-soothe, bedtime becomes more difficult for you, their caretaker. Sleep training also helps your child’s brain development and overall health.If sleep training seems daunting, don’t fret: Hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft are here to coach you on different methods and explain a few tips, tricks, and benefits to help your little ones learn to sleep on their own. Firstly, the type of sleep training parents employ should be based on “what parents can tolerate,” Alok says. Although it’s essential to development, in general, sleep training should be tried once a child is about six months of age. That’s because most infants aren’t developmentally ready to sleep for long periods without being fed.Though the “cry it out” method—in which parents shut the door and let their child cry— may work for some families, it might be too difficult for others. “I can hear them shrieking through the door,” Bethany says from personal experience. But if you can tolerate it, this method allows a child to learn to self-soothe on their own.With “gradual extinction," parents or caregivers allow a child to cry through the night, slowly increasing the time intervals of check-ins. “You let them cry for two minutes one night, then five minutes the next, with the hope they’ll be able to stick it out longer,” Alok says.And in the “camp it out” method, a parent or guardian starts out by being in the same room as their baby, ideally sleeping next to them. Then the parent slowly moves away, sneaking out of the room, allowing the child to sleep on their own.Regardless of what method you choose as a parent or caretaker—or if you choose not to sleep train at all—what’s important is that the child gets a restful night’s sleep so they can best grow and develop.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Sleep is essential to children's growth and development. But no matter how many textbooks and parenting guides you read, it can be challenging to apply the self-soothing and Ferber methods to your actual child (especially when they're shrieking and crying for hours on end).

Three Doctor-Approved Sleep Training Methods ExplainedPublished: April 26, 2021Bethany Van Delft: You have reached the time for sleep. Now, please sleep, baby. Everything is ok. And then leave. So Dr. Alok, what do you think you know about babies sleeping? Huh? Tough guy? What do you know?Alok Patel: Alright… ok! So we know that developing fetuses are going to sleep about 90 to 95% of the time.Bethany Van Delft: In the womb.. You’re talking about in the womb??Alok Patel: So much in a newborn babies and then, but when they leave the womb and they come into the real world, they're not...Bethany Van Delft: So what you're saying you know is nothing, nothing about a live baby outside of the body sleeping in the house that you are also trying to sleep in.Alok Patel: I got some textbook knowledge...Bethany Van Delft: This is the thing, we get all this advice, you know, we got the advice to shut the door, let the baby cry it out. But have you ever heard your own baby shrieking at the top of its lungs? No, you haven’t, you don’t have a baby. But I have. I have. Do you know how hard it is to just let your baby go on shrieking like that? Isn’t the whole reason they shriek so that you can do something?Alok Patel: True, but you know what? If you don’t teach a baby how to self-soothe, they’re not going to and it’s going to make your life harder and I think it's worth me at least trying to coach parents into one of the methods. But my prerogative is defending the baby's health. And I'm like, listen, you do any method you want, mom and dad, for sleep training?Bethany Van Delft: What do you mean defending the baby's health?Alok Patel: I just, I care about the baby's brain and sleep training is important for babies' development. So they sleep through the night eventually and have good brain development. But, what I'm hearing is that it really matters on what parents can tolerate. So did you try the cry it out method?Bethany Van Delft: No. No.Alok Patel: Why not? You just shut the door.Bethany Van Delft: No, like I can hear them shrieking through the door, it's like a primal shriek.Alok Patel: What about gradual extinction? Bethany Van Delft: What is gradual extinction? Is that like dodo birds slowly petering out? Instead of just, boom, one day no more dodo birds? What is gradual extinction? Alok Patel: It’s essentially when your baby cries in the middle of the night and you start to slowly increase the interval before you go and check in on your baby. So, maybe you let them cry for 2 minutes one night, then it's 3 minutes, 4 or 5 with the hope that they’ll be able to stick it out longer. Bethany Van Delft: That's what we did. We did that one. Alok Patel: How did that go?Bethany Van Delft: That was good. It was fine. All right, so we let the baby, my baby, my personal own baby.Alok Patel: The baby. Bethany Van Delft: Baby Nico, cry. Upped it by five minute increments and we went in and we told them, you know, “You're fine, it's time to sleep.” But you know, not in like a loving tone like I speak in like “I love you so much baby” not like that...Alok Patel: Like boring interactions.Bethany Van Delft: Right, like boring. Like, “it is fine baby. time to sleep.” And then you would turn around and walk out.Alok Patel: Sounds robotic but pediatrician approved.Bethany Van Delft: Thank you.Alok Patel: Well, actually, all of these methods are pediatrician-approved… but usually not before six months because most young infants aren’t developmentally ready to sleep for long periods without being fed.Now, I don't have kids, one day when I do have kids …Bethany Van Delft: I cannot wait!Alok Patel: But the method I was looking at and I was like, which one would I pick? I was looking at the camp it out method, which seems kind of fun. Like you lay down or sleep next to your baby's crib and then you gradually move farther and farther away, while ignoring their cries, possibly sneaking out. Did you guys try that?Bethany Van Delft: Are you picturing like a bonfire and marshmallows? Is that why you think that sounds like a fun method. What I hear is you're going to be in that dark bedroom doing nothing for hours. Every time the baby wakes up, you're going to have to stay a little bit longer.Alok Patel: Oh, maybe I'll just ninja out of there. Or what if I put like a mannequin? It's not really me.Bethany Van Delft: Oh yes. Side hustle. Yes, sleep training mannequin!Alok Patel: The camp-it-out mannequin! Bethany Van Delft: Yeah, the camp-it-out mannequin! Alok Patel: Now in Indian-American.Bethany Van Delft: And then when the baby... it's like voice-activated so when the baby cries the mannequin goes, “It is. Okay baby. You are fine. It's time to sleep.”Alok Patel: Yeah, but you could input your baby's name with your voice, so “it is okay, Nico, it is time to go back to sleep, Nico.” Done!The camp-it-out mannequin is intended for sleep training purposes only, and will not respond to your babies’ cries. Side effects of using the camp-it-out mannequin may include crying, fussing, and hopefully longer periods of sleep.So, we’ve talked about the cry it out method.Bethany Van Delft: Not for me. Alok Patel: Gradual extinction. Bethany Van Delft: Yeah, I feel like that worked. Alok Patel: Camp it out methodBethany Van Delft: That’s your fav because you think there’s s’mores involved. Alok Patel: I just.. It feels like a secret agent mission. Bethany Van Delft: Mmk we’ll see. Alok Patel: But anyway, we’ve given you a bunch of tools. Now here’s the thing. If you say like, “I don’t want to sleep train my baby. Should I be worried about anything?” Not necessarily. And some people say like, “A baby who isn’t sleep trained is gonna run the house when they’re trying to go to bed when they’re a toddler.” That might not be true either. The most important thing is that you’re doing what you can to make sure your baby or toddler gets restful sleep because it’s really important for growth and brain development. Bethany Van Delft: Lulu falls asleep but then she wakes up and comes in the room like thirty eight times a night. She goes like “Mama! Mamaaa! Can I get in bed with you??”

Poop is a window into the body. Its different colors and textures—and the food that comes out—can give you a clue as to what’s going on inside. Sometimes poop is healthy. Sometimes it’s not. But one thing is certain—it’s always changing. This is why hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft are here to guide you through your child’s poop evolution (by recreating it in the kitchen!).

Why Does my Newborn’s Poop Look Like That?

Sometimes poop is healthy. Sometimes it’s not. But one thing is certain—it’s always changing. This is why hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft are here to guide you through your child’s poop evolution (by recreating it in the kitchen!). Meconium is one of the first poops a newborn will make, and it’s made up of all the things they ingested in utero, including intestinal cells, amniotic fluid, and bile—and even the hair they grow, shed, and consume inside the womb. Meconium is dark, tar-like, sticky, and “hard to wipe off,” Bethany says. And it indicates an infant’s intestines are up and running. Meconium doesn’t last for long, though: Once babies are no longer consuming the same things they did in utero, they eventually graduate to passing “transitional stool.” This stool is a little more consistent. It’s yellow, produced when a baby consumes breastmilk or formula, and, thanks to the baby’s gut bacteria doing a little bit of lifting, it’s a bit more solid. And new parents, rejoice: “It doesn’t smell bad,” Bethany says. As time goes on, yellow, somewhat liquidy transitional stool can change to look either a bit looser or darker. This all depends on whether or not your child is breastfed. “Breast milk has a natural laxative to it,” so breastfed babies have lighter, seedier-looking stools, Alok explains. Formula poop might stink a little bit more, but not much. Once your little one starts eating solid foods, their poop should become denser, “like poop you see in the subway,” says Bethany. It’s darker, heavier, much smellier, and inconsistent (depending on what your child has eaten recently) in texture. By this point, your baby’s poop—and their intestines—are well-evolved and working.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Poop is a window into the body. Its different colors and textures—and the food that comes out—can give you a clue as to what’s going on inside.

Poop is a window into the body. Its different colors and textures—and the food that comes out—can give you a clue as to what’s going on inside.

Why Does my Newborn’s Poop Look Like That?Published: May 10, 2021Alok Patel: The thing about poop—it’s a window into the s… not the soul. But definitely into the body.Bethany Van Delft: It is an ever-changing rainbow of colors and textures.Alok Patel: Alright, Bethany, I want your first memory of poop that you saw in your little one’s diaper. Very, very first poop.Bethany Van Delft: Oh God. It was meconium. And the nurse warned me about it. She said it was gonna be black and sticky and tarry and impossible to wipe off. But I didn’t really believe it because I was like, “It’s just a baby.”Alok Patel: It’s just poop.Bethany Van Delft: It’s just a baby, it’s a just poop. It’s not like a tar machine or anything. Of course you can clean it up, but no.Alok Patel: It’s got all this material that baby ingested—intestinal cells, amniotic fluid, bile, mucus. Hair.Bethany Van Delft: Hair!?Alok Patel: Babies actually, believe it or not, start growing and shedding hair while they’re in utero in the womb. And when they shed it, they eat it right up. And it winds up in meconium. Step 1 of making meconium in the kitchen—prunes.Bethany Van Delft: Prunes.Alok Patel: Ok, alright, alright, alright.Bethany Van Delft: Well, you said don’t skimp.Alok Patel: And we have this prune juice. Perfect. Okay. Yeah! It’s stuck. I think we need more prune juice…Bethany Van Delft: Yeah.Alok Patel: …to get back to that newborn baby poop. How we looking?Bethany Van Delft: It’s getting there.Alok Patel: It’s getting there.Bethany Van Delft: This is starting to put me in mind of my baby’s diaper.Alok Patel: This actually looks pretty close.Bethany Van Delft: It looks super nasty.Alok Patel: Even though it looks nasty, this is excremental gold. This is what every pediatrician wants to see in that very first newborn poop. This tells us that baby’s intestines are up and running. Looks gross but I’m gonna be honest with you…Bethany Van Delft: No! Oh!Alok Patel: Meconium does not last forever, sadly, for people who like tarry, sticky messes. Meconium is actually going to graduate from kindergarten, and turn into: transitional stool.Bethany Van Delft: What do you think of that color?Alok Patel: Okay. This is Bob Ross painting of transitional stool is coming alive with golden raisins.Bethany Van Delft: It’s a very, very happy stool.Alok Patel: So a little more yogurt, just give me a little more bulk.Bethany Van Delft: Three, four…Alok Patel: Dare you do five. Dare you do five. It’s for the transition.Bethany Van Delft: Don’t dare me. Yo, don’t dare me.Alok Patel: I think it might need a little zest from the orange.Bethany Van Delft: More? Oooo. Does anyone have a microplane?Alok Patel: So we’re starting to show transitional stool. But more importantly, it’s starting to smell great. You’re gonna start to see this when baby starts taking in formula or breast milk. Food comes in, bacteria has a little metabolic party, water gets reabsorbed, you create actual bulk. And this is great news because this is telling us that the kid is relying on the power of his or her gut. Do you think I should try some of this facewash right now?Bethany Van Delft: You’re gonna do it whether I think that’s appropriate or not. So you do you, Alok.Alok Patel: Listen, I once saw orange zest being sold. And I’ll be honest, like, right now...Bethany Van Delft: Can you feel the hydration?Alok Patel: First child, you said she was only breast feeding. What did her poop start to look like after our wonderful transition stool?Bethany Van Delft: Like grainy mustard. And it smelled like a grassy field. It didn’t smell bad, it smelled really natural and nice.Alok Patel: Formula stool tends to be a little bit more real world. And it stinks. Breast fed babies’ stool does not. It’s a little bit lighter and looser. Breast milk has a natural laxative component to it. And it tends to move really fast through their gut, making those stools, which you probably remember were plentiful, sometimes explosive.Bethany Van Delft: This stool defies gravity. It goes up the diaper. Up and out, up the back, and out the diaper.Alok Patel: So tell me when your kids started to eat real world food.Bethany Van Delft: Um, that’s when it got real. Stinky, like poop. Like poop that you see in the subway. Nico was probably eating solid foods at six months cause he was a hungry baby.Alok Patel: He was right on when pediatricians say kids can.Bethany Van Delft: Oh God. Here we go.Alok Patel: In any other context, this would look delicious. Can we use the bagel and maybe crumple it up a little bit to give me a little bit of inconsistency in the texture?Bethany Van Delft: Here we go.Alok Patel: Just like the kind of stool you would see in the park.Bethany Van Delft: Bagel. Park stool is different. I think park stool is different. I think that subway stool is more urgent.Alok Patel: There’s a sense of urgency with subway stool, ok.Bethany Van Delft: I think park stool, there’s a bigger range of stool.Alok Patel: Park stool might be strategic.Bethany Van Delft: Park stool is more like, oh, it’s noon.Alok Patel: If I happen to have a potato, we can add a little bit of bulk to this stool. Bethany, if you wouldn’t mind mashing, grinding, cutting—do anything you can to add some potato bulk to our baby stool.Bethany Van Delft: Oddly enough, I have a prepared potato right here. Let’s use this one.Alok Patel: Did you just know I was going in this direction?Bethany Van Delft: This is my son’s favorite texture of stool. Do you have to do— ugh.Alok Patel: It’s actually not bad. It’s actually not bad at all.Bethany Van Delft: How did I know you were gonna say that?Alok Patel: I mean, I’m gonna be honest, I think you were right. The bagel adds a little bit of earthiness to it, and the mustard does cut down the sweetness. I actually think of all the poops that we’ve made today, this one is actually a winner. Dare you to. That one has breast milk stool on it.Bethany Van Delft: What? No, no.Alok Patel: You have not tried any of them.Bethany Van Delft: No, no, that’s okay.Alok Patel: You literally have not tried one. I had one on my face.Bethany Van Delft: I’m keto. I’m on keto, yeah.Alok Patel: Is poop involved in keto?Bethany Van Delft: Yeah, you can’t eat poop.Alok Patel: We can emulate a little bit more bulk in here if we just happen to have a potato. If I had a potato… If I had a potato… I missed that one completely! Alright, we’re gonna get this, I swear to God. If I happen to have a potato.

Do you need the right pillow, blanket, and mattress just to sleep through the night? Hear us out: You should be just as concerned with your baby’s sleeping environment, because where and how a baby sleeps can contribute to their overall safety. Hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft are here to show you some methods that will help your little one sleep safe and sound.

How can you create the best environment in which to put your newborn down to sleep?

How to (Safely!) Put Your Infant to Bed

How can you create the best environment in which to put your newborn down to sleep? Hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft are here to show you some methods that will help your little one sleep safe and sound.Newborns sleep best, and are safest, in an empty crib. “Anything in the crib around your baby could be hazardous—could be a suffocation risk,” Alok says. “I know there are so many cute crib sets, and bumpers and everything,” Bethany adds. “But it really isn't safe; you just have to take everything out.”Your baby’s crib should have a firm sleeping surface with tight bedding that will not fall over or unintentionally wrap around the baby. (Swaddling, however, is OK in infants too young to roll around, as long as your baby’s head and neck are free and their arms are in the swaddle.) Cribs for newborns shouldn’t have drop-down side rails. A safe crib will have four firm sides with slats no wider than 2⅜ inches apart: Anything wider could result in baby Houdini slipping out of the crib.Parents and guardians should put babies to bed on their backs, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in the baby’s first year of life. Alok explains you should always put your baby down to bed in their crib—not a chair, the couch, a baby rocker, or a car seat brought into your home, no matter how tempting—as only a crib provides your baby with a proper sleeping angle and environment. And “products like wedges, and special mats, and home oxygen monitors,” he adds, “are not actually going to reduce babies’ chances of SIDS.”Some families opt to keep their newborn close by at night instead of in a nursery. Bedsharing, as the name suggests, occurs when parents share a bed with their baby. (Unfortunately, this method can increase the child’s risk of SIDS or suffocation well past toddlerhood.) With co-sleeping, a parent or guardian sleeps near their baby, either sharing a bed with them or sleeping close to their baby’s crib. Parents and guardians should consider sleeping in the same room as their cribbed baby for the first 12 months of the baby’s life to prevent SIDS, Alok says.Like you, your infant deserves to have a good night’s sleep. And perhaps more importantly, they deserve a safe night: “While you create the optimal sleep environment for your baby,” Alok says, “make sure it’s also the safest one possible.” <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Do you need the right pillow, blanket, and mattress just to sleep through the night? Hear us out: You should be just as concerned with your baby’s sleeping environment, because where and how a baby sleeps can contribute to their overall safety.

Do you need the right pillow, blanket, and mattress just to sleep through the night? Hear us out: You should be just as concerned with your baby’s sleeping environment, because where and how a baby sleeps can contribute to their overall safety.

How to (Safely!) Put Your Infant to BedPublished: May 24, 2021Alok Patel: I can basically sleep anywhere.Bethany Van Delft: Oh, now you're one of those.Alok Patel: Slept on a train here. Slept on the bus the last time we filmed. I can sleep on the floor. I can sleep on any plane.Bethany Van Delft: I can’t even sleep in my own bed. So I don’t even want to hear about that.Alok Patel: So you need the perfect sleeping environment.Bethany Van Delft: Yeah, perhaps.Alok Patel: So do babies, but theirs is more about safety. First thing’s first is we want a very empty, boring crib.Bethany Van Delft: Barren, nothing in the crib.Alok Patel: Because anything in the crib around your baby could be hazardous, could be a suffocation risk.Bethany Van Delft: And I know there are so many cute crib sets, and bumpers and everything, but it really isn't safe. You just have to take everything out.Alok Patel: So we want to clear this crib! No stuffed animals.Bethany Van Delft: Even if grandma made a quilt…Alok Patel: Sorry grandma, don’t care. It’s out.Alok Patel: Pillows? Sorry.Alok Patel: So now we have what we consider to be so far a safe crib. We want to make sure it's a firm sleeping surface. The bedding is really tight. Make sure you don't have one of those cribs that has the drop-down side rails. And also the slats, the openings should be no bigger than 2⅜ inches. I know it's a very specific number. But just look on the packaging.Bethany Van Delft: But that’s like heads can't go out.Alok Patel: Yeah.Bethany Van Delft: Is that what it is? It’s probably not…Alok Patel: Yes, that's exactly what it is. You don’t want your baby to be able to Houdini out of the crib.Bethany Van Delft: Baby Mia has had her bath. We followed her nighttime routine: read a book, sang a song. She’s all ready.Alok Patel: That's awesome. Baby Mia is going to go to sleep on her back, which is a recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics to prevent SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome for the first year of life.Bethany Van Delft: On the back. Baby on the back.Alok Patel: Not on their stomach. Not on their side. And also, Baby Mia is sleeping in her safe crib environment. So not a sofa, or an armchair, nowhere else in the house. No baby rockers. And not in a car seat brought into the house, no matter how tempting that may be. The angle isn’t right for sleep and it can be dangerous.Bethany Van Delft: And no waterbed. Because it is not the 80s.Alok Patel: We know that products like wedges, and special mats, and home oxygen monitors are not actually going to reduce babies’ chances of SIDS. They’re probably just going to drive you insane. And sometimes they’re not even safe.Some babies love to be swaddled if we can recreate that feeling of security of when they were in the womb.Bethany Van Delft: Cause it was tight in there. It was like all snuggly, huggly.Alok Patel: Did you swaddle your kids?Bethany Van Delft: I swaddled Lulu. Not Nico, Nico couldn’t stand it. But Lulu loved it.Alok Patel: So you remember how to swaddle? I think Baby Mia is like, “I wanna be swaddled.”Bethany Van Delft: Alright, let’s give it a shot.Alok Patel: Swaddle on.Bethany Van Delft: So it’s a triangle. And, there’s all different swaddle styles, there are books and books and websites about different swaddle techniques. But the main thing is keep the head and the neck free, keep the arms wrapped, so they don’t pull their arms out because that can make the swaddle blanket loose and be a hazard.Alok Patel: Suffocation risk.Bethany Van Delft: And make sure they’re wrapped comfy and cozy, just like a womb.Alok Patel: And voilà, you have this little baby burrito.Bethany Van Delft: Baby burrito.Alok Patel: Who is nice and wrapped, and calm and comfortable... just like a recreation of the womb.Bethany Van Delft: This is a womb with a view.Alok Patel: And I’m the fun police, so what I’m going to say about swaddling is yes, it’s great, and it's comfortable for some babies. But number one, you should really only swaddle very young babies before they can roll around. Also it’s best to keep the swaddle tight around the chest but loose around the hips and knees to avoid damaging the hips. So when in doubt, just chat with your doctor.Alok Patel: Now one topic a lot of parents ask about is co-sleeping or bedsharing.Bethany Van Delft: I thought co-sleeping was bedsharing.Alok Patel: I even get confused with the term too, because some people do use them interchangeably. Bedsharing, as the name implies, means babies and parents are sleeping in the same bed.Bethany Van Delft: Got it.Alok Patel: But co-sleeping technically means sleeping near your baby — which can include bed sharing but also includes being in a crib in the same bedroom as you. In fact, we recommend sleeping in the same room as your baby until they’re 12 months old to decrease the risk of SIDS.Bethany Van Delft: We definitely had both babies at their babyhood in our room. Close to the bed. And it kind of does shorten the walk to get milk to baby if baby is in the same room as you. Like I’m not saying I’m a lazy mom, I was just a tired mom.Alok Patel: Efficient mom.Bethany Van Delft: An efficient, tired mom.Alok Patel: But let’s talk about bedsharing. Now remember, this is sleeping in the same bed as mom and dad. Now the AAP recommends against this, especially for babies under the age of 4 months.Bethany Van Delft: I know a lot of cultures do sleep with their babies, though.Alok Patel: Still gonna recommend against it, because this practice can cause suffocation,just a lot of bad things. Especially if parents are moving around and rolling on top in the middle of the night. It’s not a good thing for little kids.Alok Patel: Now what about those products you see marketed to parents that say, “safe for the crib,” “safe for your baby.”Bethany Van Delft: Yes, yeah. They’re safe, right?Alok Patel: No, not always.Bethany Van Delft: What do you mean?Alok Patel: Actually, not often.Bethany Van Delft: What about the in-bed sleepers? What about the baskets?Alok Patel: No.Bethany Van Delft: What about the body pillows?Alok Patel: Don’t care.Bethany Van Delft: What about the wedges?Alok Patel: No wedge.Bethany Van Delft: They say right on the package: “reduces the chance of SIDS.”Alok Patel: They can say whatever they want. But here’s the thing: a lot of those products, the claims they make have not actually been evaluated by the American Academy of Pediatrics.So in the end, while you create the optimal sleep environment for your baby, make sure it’s also the safest one possible.Alok Patel: Baby Mia’s tired.Bethany Van Delft: Baby Mia has had her bath.Alok Patel: Awesome.Bethany Van Delft: And her book and her song.Alok Patel: Awesome. And she’s being put down, not put down, she’s not Old Yeller. But um, Baby Mia… can I start that part over?

Macaroni necklaces and school drawings may be nice offerings, but your child’s poop is a glorious gift that gives you a window into their bodies. Do you have questions about poop? Hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft are here to help.

Your child’s poop is a glorious gift that gives you a window into their bodies.

What's Up With Your Kid's Poop? We're Here to Answer

Do you have questions about poop? Hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft are here to help:“Should I worry if my baby isn’t going to the bathroom enough?” Knowing your child’s standard frequency of evacuation—whether it be 2-3 times a day or 2-3 times a week—is what’s most important. As long as your child’s poop is well-formed, not causing them any trouble to pass, and free of any worrisome markers (i.e., blood), then you probably don’t need to worry.“Why can we hold onto poop better than pee?” The locations of where your body stores feces versus urine have different holding capacities. These “different containers” work differently, Alok explains. “If you try not to pee, a little bit might leak out. Your rectum can actually stretch and accommodate the stool, becoming like a poop reservoir.” The body also has an anorectal angle—a kink at the end of the gastrointestinal tract that stops poop from sliding out. When potty training a child, it helps to raise their knees a bit because it straightens out the anorectal angle, making poop easier to pass.“What are the differences between laxatives?” There are many different types of laxatives, each helping you add more water to stool to make it easier to pass. Osmotic laxatives draw more fluid into stool; bulk-forming agents add fiber to stool; stimulant laxatives make your intestines contract faster, and lubricant laxatives line the wall of your gut so water doesn’t escape. Laxatives may seem like a quick fix, but they can be dangerous for young children. It’s best not to give children laxatives unless recommended by your doctor. And remember: Fruits and vegetables—nature’s laxatives—are excellent and safe alternatives.“Why does poop smell worse when kids are sick?” Sure, poop almost always smells really bad. But when kids are sick, say with a bacterial infection, they’re more likely to produce gas that smells sulfuric (like rotten eggs). And children with malabsorption may pass gas and stool that includes fat and undigested bits from their food, which may smell worse than average poop. If either of these situations persists, it’s best to talk to your doctor.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Macaroni necklaces and school drawings may be nice offerings, but your child’s poop is a glorious gift that gives you a window into their bodies.

Macaroni necklaces and school drawings may be nice offerings, but your child’s poop is a glorious gift that gives you a window into their bodies.

What's Up With Your Kid's Poop? We're Here to AnswerPublished: June 8, 2021Bethany Van Delft: One of the first gifts you get as a parent is when you open that diaper and you realize the type of stuff you’re gonna be dealing with. We’re talking about poop.Alok Patel: Poop is a glorious substance.Bethany Van Delft: Glorious?Alok Patel: Glorious!Bethany Van Delft: Okay. So how worried should I be if my kid is not going to the bathroom enough?Alok Patel: Honestly you have to know your baby or your child’s normal. Some kids go to 2-3 times a day, others go 2-3 times a week. As long as the stools are still well formed and your child isn’t having trouble passing them, it’s usually not a problem. But if there’s a deviation from your child’s normal or if you have any questions, ask your doctor.Bethany Van Delft: So if that’s true, why did I have to keep track of every poop and every pee for what seemed like months?Alok Patel: Well, we definitely ask you to track all the excrement in the newborn period while babies are developing, or if there’s a special situation. In the newborn period, a breastfed baby can actually stool with every single feed. And then after about a month, because they absorb and digest breast milk so well, that’ll drop down to once every few days, maybe a week. Whereas formula-fed babies may actually stool with every feed for a longer period of time.Bethany Van Delft: Alright, here’s one. Why is it that we can hold onto poop better than pee?Alok Patel: Well, think about the differences in where pee and poop are being held.Bethany Van Delft: No.Alok Patel: Different containers for pee and poop. If you try not to pee, a little bit might leak out. Your rectum can actually stretch. If you decide not to poop, this thing will stretch and accommodate the stool and become like a poop reservoir.Bethany Van Delft: That’s a fun visual.Alok Patel: There’s one more thing I have to mention.Bethany Van Delft: Oh my God, is it about poop? I can’t wait.Alok Patel: The anorectal angle.Bethany Van Delft: Did you pull that out of your butt?Alok Patel: No, but it represents something in all of our butts. So the anorectal angle, as you can see, usually sits at about 90 degrees. And it makes it really hard for poop to leave your body. Which is the point. It holds it in. But when it’s time to go number two and you strain, you actually might straighten this angle enough to get the poop to evacuate, making it easier to drop down into the toilet.This is why when children are potty training, it helps to bring their knees up, making it easier for them to go number two.Bethany Van Delft: I hear a lot about laxatives. Like, what are the differences in laxatives?Alok Patel: There’s so many types, and it can be overwhelming. Basically, laxatives are broken down into different groups about how they add more water or make stools easier to pass. You have osmotic laxatives, which basically draw more fluid into stool. Then you have bulk-forming agents, like metamucil, which add fiber, which are easier to pass. Then you have stimulant laxatives, which basically make your intestines contract more. You have lubricant laxatives, which literally line the walls of the gut so that water doesn’t leave.Laxatives might seem harmless and like a quick fix, but they can be dangerous, especially for young children. So never give a laxative to a child unless it’s recommended by a doctor. And don’t go overboard with the laxatives. You want to use the smallest dose necessary to treat the constipation while reducing any potential risks. And for children three and younger, try using a different kind of laxative, like nature’s laxative — fruit. Think plums, pears, papaya, or prunes.If you have any questions, call your doctor.Bethany Van Delft: So, a friend of mine has a teenager who’s been complaining about pain in her bowels, bloating, constipation. What’s going on?Alok Patel: This is a tough one. And I feel for your friend’s teenager cause it’s not comfortable. But this teenager should really talk to a doctor cause these symptoms could be part of a dozen different conditions. It could be something as simple as a dietary intolerance, it could be an acute or chronic illness. It could even be a medication side effect. It all depends.Bethany Van Delft: Why does poop smell funkier when your kids are sick?Alok Patel: Poop usually always smells not the best. But when kids are sick, it can smell especially weird. In some cases, kids with bacterial infection can actually produce more gas that smells like sulfur — and to us that can be like rotten eggs, super funky.In other conditions, kids that have malabsorption or bad absorption of foods they eat, they might wind up passing extra gas, fat, undigested food and other nutrients which smell really weird in stool.So if your kid’s poop smells like rotten eggs, really funky, or just plain different, talk to your doctor.I’ve never had more trouble blowing up a balloon in my entire life. What on Earth is wrong with this balloon? Alright, I got this.

At the beginning of pregnancy, mammary glands start out like a tree in winter with no foliage. As pregnancy progresses and the body prepares for milk production, mammary glands undergo a massive tissue restructuring—like a tree in the spring. By the time a baby arrives, the “tree” is in full bloom, ready to produce and deliver milk.

By the time a baby arrives, the mammary glands are ready to produce and deliver milk.

Making Milk—and Why You Shouldn't Pump and Dump

In the early days after delivery, hormones drive breast milk production. Some hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, and human placental lactogen, drop once the placenta has exited the body. High levels of estrogen help a birthing parent’s body keep milk production to a minimum during pregnancy. But when the baby arrives and the placenta is delivered, progesterone levels fall, allowing prolactin (the milk-production hormone) to kick in.The first type of milk produced is called colostrum. “It’s like a superfood,” Bethany says. Sometimes yellow in color, colostrum has protein, fats, carbohydrates, and all the antibodies to support your baby’s immune system in the first few days of life. “Breast milk also really help[s] with making sure that baby’s gut bacteria is growing appropriately,” co-host Alok Patel says. Breastfeeding also assists the birthing parent’s uterine contraction and may reduce the likelihood of mom getting certain types of cancers, including ovarian or breast cancer.Medications, alcohol, and cannabis can get into breast milk—but you don’t necessarily have to abstain from taking medication or drinking alcohol. Alcohol can be detected for about two to three hours after you’ve consumed a drink, so experts recommend waiting this long after having a drink before breastfeeding your child. THC, the psychoactive chemical in cannabis, isn't as quickly metabolized in the body as alcohol is. Healthcare experts recommend avoiding it altogether, as the long-term effects on a baby’s health and development haven’t been studied in depth. And although parents may worry about their medications transferring over to their breastfeeding infant, most medications are safe during lactation. If you are concerned, Alok suggests chatting with your doctor. “If you have a certain condition that requires medication, do not forgo the medication,” he says. “We need to make sure moms are healthy and present so they can be there for their little babies.”<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

At the beginning of pregnancy, mammary glands start out like a tree in winter with no foliage. As pregnancy progresses and the body prepares for milk production, mammary glands undergo a massive tissue restructuring — like a tree in the spring. By the time a baby arrives, the “tree” is in full bloom, ready to produce and deliver milk.

Making Milk — and Why You Shouldn't Pump and Dump

Making Milk — and Why You Shouldn't Pump and DumpPublished: June 21, 2021Bethany Van Delft: You know how when your milk comes in, like right before it comes in, you get like this tingly Spidey sense all around you, like something's going to happen. You know that feeling?Alok Patel: I don't know.Bethany Van Delft: You don’t? I bet you know what's happening, though, like from a medical standpoint, cause I don't know that. I only know that Spidey sense – find a baby! But what is medically, biologically happening?Alok Patel: There are some changes in the mammary glands inside the breast that will obviously be really important for milk production. So a specialist gave me this analogy, which totally makes sense to me now. She said the mammary glands start out like a tree in winter with no foliage. And then during pregnancy, the foliage starts to expand. So now the mammary gland is growing and it's ready to produce and deliver milk by the time baby is ready to feed.Bethany Van Delft: I love it. Eyes on my face, not my milk trees.Alok Patel: So, in the early days after you deliver your baby, milk production is driven by hormones. When the placenta leaves the body, the levels of a few hormones drop significantly — estrogen, progesterone, and human placental lactogen.Now, high levels of progesterone tell the body to keep milk production dialed down during pregnancy — basically blocking your milk production hormone called prolactin.It is like the estrogen and progesterone are saying, "Get ready, get set, but don't make the milk until we leave." So when they do eventually leave, and prolactin levels remain high, that's when milk production begins.You start making milk for your baby and in the first few days you make like the early version of milk, which is called colostrum.Bethany Van Delft: Oh my gosh, colostrum is so interesting. It's like a superfood or something.Alok Patel: When did your milk change from colostrum to transition milk to full volume milk?Bethany Van Delft: You're super asking me like I have brain cells left from that time period? Yeah, like, I don't know, it came in.Alok Patel: That's a good point. Good point..Bethany Van Delft: How how's this? Soon after that it came in. I remember what it was like though. A little bit more yellowy.Alok Patel: And so it's got the protein and fats and carbohydrates. But more importantly, it has all the antibodies and things to support your baby's immune system in those first few days. Breast milk also really help with making sure that baby's gut bacteria is growing appropriately. They're not getting infections.It also has something that prevents the growth of bad bacteria like e-coli or salmonella while promoting the growth of good bacteria, which is great for the baby's microbiome.Bethany Van Delft: I like to say that, microbiome.Microbiome. In this corner, breastmilk.Alok Patel: So this up this stuff is awesome, you know, and then these early days of breastfeeding is also, there's also some benefits for moms as well because it helps with uterine contraction. It costs about 500 calories a day to produce breast milk.Breastfeeding may reduce the likelihood of moms getting certain types of cancers such as ovarian or breast cancer. Another big thing to talk about is medications. And first of all, there's obviously tons of medications and some of them can pass through breast milk. Some don't. And again, it's really important that you just chat with your doctor. If you have a certain condition that requires medication, do not forego the medication because treating yourself is actually really important.Bethany Van Delft: It is a scary thing, though.Alok Patel: Absolutely.Bethany Van Delft: You know, like you get prescribed something and you wonder, is this getting into my baby's milk?Alok Patel: Totally.Bethany Van Delft: But, yes. Follow doctor's orders.Alok Patel: Yeah, I mean, just ask because remember, we need when it comes to treating medical conditions, we need to make sure moms are healthy and present so they can be there for their little babies.And last but not least, because everyone's thinking this: alcohol and weed. How do they affect breast milk?Bethany Van Delft: But pump and dumps not a real thing, right? I've run into moms who think that the alcohol is in this batch of milk and then they pump it and dump it and then the next batch is okay. And that's not a thing?Alok Patel: We just say, you know what? If you want to have a glass of wine because you earned it, I get it. Do it. But wait two to three hours after you have that before breastfeeding your child.Breastmilk contains alcohol as long as alcohol is still present in the mother's bloodstream — over time, your body breaks down the alcohol and it leaves the bloodstream. Therefore, it leaves breastmilkBethany Van Delft: Right. Just wait the amount of time. Not pump and dump.Alok Patel: Not pump and dump.Well, let's talk about weed. THC can pass through breast milk. It's probably best to avoid this if you're breastfeeding your baby. I'm so sorry.Bethany Van Delft: So avoid it? Unlike alcohol, just avoid it?Alok Patel: Pediatrician hat on, just avoid it, don’t do it. THC isn't as quickly metabolized by the body as alcohol. Trace amounts could remain in breastmilk for weeks. And while we need more data around the long-term effects of cannabis in kids, there's evidence that suggests THC consumption could impact a baby's brain and development. There isn't comprehensive research on CBD use while breastfeeding, but the FDA does advise against it. In the end, if you have any questions, chat with your doctor.Bethany Van Delft: Find out what’s right for your family. Make a choice for your family.Alok Patel: I don’t know how to end it.Bethany Van Delft: Pfft. Is that good?

Puberty is a wonderful, fun, uncomplicated, and totally non-awkward time for those going through it (said no one ever).

Puberty is a wonderful, fun, uncomplicated, & totally non-awkward time (said no one ever).

The Biology of Puberty

Biology of Puberty

Talking to your kids about puberty can be tough. And it happens during the time many children begin to withdraw from their parents can add to the challenge. “Socially, puberty can be a disaster for teens,” co-host Alok Patel says. External stressors like school, friendships, and relationships can exacerbate the things teens and tweens experience internally: varying brain maturation, increasing sex steroids, and shifting moods. If your child’s behavior seems like more than just mood swings, it might be time to talk to them or their doctor.Teens need lots of sleep—about eight to 10 hours on average per night—because the pituitary gland releases growth hormones during sleep, which helps the body grow and repair itself. Getting the rest to produce these chemicals, especially when kids are growing rapidly, is an important part of puberty.Though many people have acne well into their adulthood, it’s often synonymous with puberty. If the teen in your life develops acne, you can blame the skin glands that produce sebum (the natural oil that coats and moisturizes your skin). During puberty, a surge of hormones plumps up these sebaceous glands, causing them to produce more sebum, which clogs the pores and makes them too oily. Then a bacterium called Propionibacteria acne gets trapped inside. Thus acne is born: on your teen’s face, back, chest, and even butt. Keeping the pores clean (through face washing) can help, but some teens need acne medication.An inevitable part of puberty is having to discuss ‘the birds and the bees’ with your teen—a discussion few parents look forward to. Though it may be awkward, it’s very important to discuss sex with your teen so they can make smart, healthy, and safe decisions for their age. “If you don't feel comfortable doing it, get them in front of someone who does feel comfortable doing it,” co-host Bethany Van Delft says. The best way to help your kid through puberty, she says, is to be there for them and answer their questions honestly.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Puberty is a wonderful, fun, uncomplicated, and totally non-awkward time for those going through it (said no one ever).

The Biology of PubertyPublished: July 5, 2021Alok Patel: Basically, my acne got so bad that finally they were like, “It's time. It's time for the nuke on your face. They gave me tretinoin.”Bethany Van Delft: Was that worth having clear skin? Ah ha ha!Alok Patel: Do you talk to your kids about puberty?Bethany Van Delft: Me? My kids are 3 and 8.Alok Patel: I was talking to America.Bethany Van Delft: Oh! Sorry!Alok Patel: Socially, puberty can be a disaster for teens.Bethany Van Delft: I feel like there were a lot of mood swings and temper flare-ups and tears. How does...why? Why, Alok, why?Alok Patel: The brain! The brain does everything. I don't have all the answers, but!Bethany Van Delft: You have so many though.Alok Patel: Here's what we do know. We know that the brain is going to really grow in volume during puberty.Bethany Van Delft: Really?Alok Patel: With girls’ brains growing slightly before guys’ brains, which may be coinciding with the timing of puberty between girls and boys. I mean, the brain is a target for sex steroids. And so you know that all these are going to be ramped up during puberty, and this is going to cause the maturation of different parts of the brain. In fact, the area involved in impulse control matures later than the rest of the brain, which could lead to behaviors that appear, you guessed it, more impulsive. And all this may relate to some of the changes in mood, tempers, you know, anxiety, stress, all the things that come with the teen pubertal brain.Bethany Van Delft: Pubertal. That sounds like an 80’s video game.Alok Patel: I think hear a lot of people saying like, “Oh my gosh, my teen is having crazy outbursts and tempers and, you know, doesn't want to speak to me anymore!” We know that the brain is developing. We know that teens are also going through kind of a critical time of life, they're going through junior high and high school. There's a lot of like, pressures outside and we want to make sure that if there's something underlying and it's not related to puberty, that we're addressing that as well. It could be depression, could be anxiety could be substance abuse, could be bullying.Bethany Van Delft: So, if you suspect it's more than a pubertal mood swing, then talk to your doctor.Alok Patel: Teens really need sleep.Bethany Van Delft: Yes.Alok Patel: They need like 8 to 10 hours because it's really important for development and growth, especially during puberty. During sleep, the pituitary gland releases growth hormone, which helps the body grow and repair itself. These are all really important things during puberty and also so is sleep hygiene.Bethany Van Delft: Sleep hygiene? So like, scrub your sleep with a washcloth. No? A loofah.Alok Patel: So you described to me the environment you create for your kids when it's time to go to bed.Bethany Van Delft: Oh, the bedtime routine.Alok Patel: The bedtime routine.Bethany Van Delft: Dim the lights.Alok Patel: Yes.Bethany Van Delft: Get on the jammies, soothing music, soothing story. That's sleep hygiene?Alok Patel: You take that and you translate that to teen world. So, same thing with the routine bedtime and dimming down the lights.Bethany Van Delft: Put the jammies on. Read a book.Alok Patel: If your teen will let you read them a book. But no tablets, screens, computers, phones, all of that.Bethany Van Delft: Don't be doctor, be realistic. How long before bed should we put our teens’ electronics away?Alok Patel: I ask for one hour.Bethany Van Delft: One hour? Okay. Thanks for working with us. In puberty, I had a beard of acne. I had a big, giant like ecosystem of acne on my chin.Alok Patel: Ecosystem!Yeah, I could not get rid of. I used some kind of creams, kind of like derma cream and it smelled just like eucalyptus.Alok Patel: But your skin's beautiful now!Bethany Van Delft: Pshhhh. Thank you. My therapist says say thank you. Why does it happen? Like, why all of a sudden dip-ip-ip-ip-ip? Like what's trying to get out? Your childhood? Is your childhood trying to jump out of your face? Is that what it is?Alok Patel: So, we all have sebaceous glands in our skin. These produce something called sebum.Bethany Van Delft: Sebum. Is that like ocean butt? Sebum.Alok Patel: Sebum is a natural oil which usually coats, moisturizes, and protects our lovely skin. Now, during puberty those hormones are going to come and they're gonna like plump up all the sebaceous glands creating more sebum, which can then go and get clogged in your skin and this loving bacteria called Propionibacteria acnes, hence the “acne,” end up getting trapped inside the pores where they multiply.Now what happens then is your immune system reacts. And that's when you start getting all the red, the inflammation, those little white heads, all that. And so you know, what we tell people was like, make sure you wash your face, you've got to keep your pores cleaned, but in some cases…Bethany Van Delft: Medication.Alok Patel: Kids need to get medication. Take them to a dermatologist if they need something stronger, some specialized care but make sure you're always checking in with them because acne is really distressing during puberty. What up, acne?!Alok Patel: What about the birds and the bees?Bethany Van Delft: And the flowers and the trees! That's the thing called love.Alok Patel: That's always a conversation parents look forward to, right?Bethany Van Delft: I can't wait!Alok Patel: But jokes aside, it should happen.Bethany Van Delft: It has to happen.Alok Patel: Decide when it's best to talk to your teen about sex, and everything that comes with it.Bethany Van Delft: Can I rephrase that?Alok Patel: Please do.Bethany Van Delft: Find a way to inform your teen. If you don't feel comfortable doing it, get them in front of someone who does feel comfortable doing it. Whether that is Auntie Jane or Uncle Joe or a pediatrician or a therapist.Alok Patel: Even better, because it's not just about learning about sexual health. It's also understanding things like pregnancy and STDs.Bethany Van Delft: Sometimes I hear mom friends say, “how can I help my kid through puberty?” But I don't know if you can help a kid go through a process that's part of growing up and maturing. I think…Alok Patel: Part of life.Bethany Van Delft: Yeah! I think what we can do is support them through a really difficult, tricky time.Alok Patel: Make it relatable to your teen, share some of your own stories, tell them what you went through. It'll kind of help break all the pubertal ice.Bethany Van Delft: Yeah, let them know that you're there for them, even though they really don't want you to be there at all. They think they don't want you to be there, but they're really happy when you're there.Alok Patel: And if you have any questions, chat with your doctor. The vast majority of times the puberty questions, all the things related to hormones, can easily be answered by your healthcare professional.Bethany Van Delft: Be empathetic. Really listen to your child, and let them know that they can come to you and talk to you about anything. Just really create trust.Alok Patel: I tell my high school athletes, I say sleep will make you better on the football field or basketball field or in swimming pool. Wherever. Give me one hour.Bethany Van Delft: He said basketball field.Alok Patel: Basketball court. That's why meant. I got excited. I got excited. Also, who's to say you can't play basketball on a field?Bethany Van Delft: You can, you definitely can.Alok Patel: Somewhere out there as somebody who's watching this who plays basketball on a field and they're like, pssh, I'm not watching the show anymore.

You’ve been there: An action as simple as giving your child the wrong snack is an injustice worthy of waging war (and in this case, “war” is a tantrum). Fortunately, hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft are here to break down why children “break down” and have tantrums—and what you should do to help them through it.

Why children “break down” and have tantrums—and what you should do to help them through it

Tantrums: Why They Happen and How to Soothe Your Kid

Fortunately, hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft are here to break down why children “break down” and have tantrums—and what you should do to help them through it.Children aren’t able to regulate their responses to “blocked goals,” whatever it is they may desire or the things they want to see happen. Just as you may get upset when a yellow light turns red or you don’t make it to the grocery store before it closes, children may get upset when something they want isn’t given to them or something doesn’t work out as planned.Children also want to have autonomy, Alok explains. When their desires are “blocked” by their most notorious goalie—their parents and caregivers telling them “NO”—children tend to unleash their frustration on them.When a tantrum begins to bubble inside your little one, “You can think about a train running into a tunnel,” Alok says. As the train is approaching the “tantrum tunnel,” as a parent or guardian, you may think about methods to prevent a meltdown. (Once the train gets into the tunnel, it’s meltdown time.) Of course, there’s no tried and true tantrum prevention method. “You just have to wait for [the train] to come out the other side,” Bethany says.When it comes to handling her child’s tantrums, Bethany employs a few different methods depending on what her three-year-old son is experiencing. “If he’s full-blown anger, we let it ride,” she says. Afterward, once he’s calmed down, Bethany talks to him about what happened to make him so upset. Learning what triggers a tantrum can help parents plan for tantrums instead of preventing them, says Bethany.For many young children (but not all), tantrums are “a regular part of [early] childhood,” Alok says. By around five or six years old—thanks to the growth of their prefrontal cortex—many children will have developed more self-regulation skills and will experience fewer tantrums. Fortunately, during this time, you should be able to talk your child through their emotional outbursts with more ease.If your child still has tantrums past six years old and seems irritable and disinterested in other activities, “you should get them evaluated because it could be signs of another medical condition or something else that should be looked at,” Alok says.At the end of the day, being a toddler is hard. Empathize with your little one—because “the struggle is real to them,” Bethany says.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

You’ve been there: An action as simple as giving your child the wrong snack is an injustice worthy of waging war (and in this case, “war” is a tantrum).

You’ve been there: An action as simple as giving your child the wrong snack is an injustice worthy of waging war (and in this case, “war” is a tantrum).

Watching your child get their immunizations can be really hard. It might also raise some questions: Why are they getting so many shots at once and why now? Is this all really necessary?

Sticking to the immunization schedule is actually really important—here’s why.

Vaccinations: Why do Kids Get So Many at One Doctor's Visit?

Sticking to the immunization schedule is actually really important—here’s why.Vaccines are extensively studied to protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases and are timed to give the body the best shot at building immunity. The several vaccines children get before the age of one are “all based on the time their immune systems can build the right type of reaction to the vaccine,” Parentalogic cohost Dr. Alok Patel explains. Because many vaccines require more than one shot, it's important that children get their vaccines on time so they have immunity before they encounter a disease.Of course, watching your child get multiple vaccines at once can be tough (let’s face it; even many grownups don’t like them). “If you’re not comfortable with multiple shots, you can talk to your doctor’s office about combination shots, which is multiple vaccines in one needle,” Alok suggests. Alok says it’s important to remember that children come in contact with thousands of antigens—i.e. foreign substances—every single day. The vaccines on the immunization schedule will only introduce them to “150 antigens,” Alok says. “Vaccines are like a drop in the ocean compared to all the other foreign substances they come in contact with.”Altering or delaying the immunization schedule can leave your child “under-immunized at critical points in childhood,” Alok says. “No other vaccine schedule has been tested for safety or efficacy.”Vaccines are also really important in protecting those who can’t get vaccinated because of their age or health factors. That’s the concept behind herd immunity, which occurs when a large portion of a community is immune to an infectious disease, making the spread less likely. For herd immunity against measles, for example, “we need 95% of the population to be vaccinated against measles for it to not spread,” Alok says. That’s why it’s essential children get all their shots at the right time—not just for their immunity, but for the sake of the herd, too.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Watching your child get their immunizations can be really hard. It might also raise some questions: Why are they getting so many shots at once and why now? Is this all really necessary?

Vaccinations: Why do Kids Get So Many at One Doctor's Visit?Published: August 2, 2021Bethany Van Delft: Nikko and Lulu have all their vaccinations, of course. But they get so many at the same time.One shot, they start screaming, two shots they're really screaming, four shots... Why?Alok Patel: If you look at the immunization schedule, it does seem like a lot. And now–Bethany Van Delft: It is a lot!Alok Patel: It’s a lot.Bethany Van Delft: It doesn't just seem like a lot. I know a lot when I see it.Alok Patel: We do have several vaccines which kids get before the age of 1. And this is all based on timing of when their immune system can build the right type of reaction to the vaccine but also when they are most likely to see the disease.They're all very thoroughly studied for safety. And even if you aren't comfortable with multiple shots, you can talk to your doctors office and see if they have a combination shot which has multiple vaccines in one needle.And here's the thing, too. By having them on the right schedule, we make sure our kids are getting the vaccines they need on time. And then we also give him enough time to build up the immunity and to make sure that they are doing OK.Bethany Van Delft: Is that why sometimes there's like three shots of the same thing?Alok Patel: Two, four and six month? Remember that?Bethany Van Delft: Yeah I do. How could I not remember that? Watching my baby scream? And you know, you and they're looking at you like, momma, where are you letting this happen to me? And I'm like, I know, I know, I know. I don't know why I'm letting it happen to you. I think it's good but I'm not sure.Alok Patel: I think the question falls on, how can you put this much of something into my baby’s body.Bethany Van Delft: It's really scary.Alok Patel: So we're going to make a little comparison. The average child is going to run into thousands of antigens or these foreign substances every single day, like thousands and thousands every day. Our immune systems are pretty tough. The vaccines are only going to introduce them to like 150, antigens, so vaccines are like a drop in the ocean compared to all the other foreign substances kids come in contact with. In fact, like a kid's immune system is going to be more challenged by a common cold, which kids seemingly have all the time during cold and flu season.That's more challenging to a child's immune system than vaccines.Bethany Van Delft: What's all this about alternative schedules? I heard something about like an alternative schedule to vaccinations. I don't know anything about this. I just heard about it. But you must know something about it.Alok Patel: Not a fan.Bethany Van Delft: No? Is it ... What is it like, what is it like? Do I get to choose, pick and choose where my kids are going to have their vaccinations? Can I choose something other than vaccination? Can I choose lollipops? But our kids don't eat sugar, can I choose carrots?Alok Patel: I love that your kids eat carrots.So here is where the alternative schedule kind of came from. Parents were concerned and they were like, oh, my gosh, my children are getting too many shots at one visit. And so the alternative schedule was born. And what that basically was saying was, hey, you know what, it will space out the shots and we'll make it so that your children don't get as many shots in one visit. Here's the problem with that. The alternative schedule can leave your children under immunized and at risk for certain diseases at critical points in childhood. Also, the schedule has not been tested for efficacy or safety.Bethany Van Delft: So I guess not even a thing? It's like going to your boss and going, “Hi, I know you have two or five days a week, but I don't want to. So here's an alternative schedule.”Alok Patel: Well, with the with the vaccine alternative schedule parents, actually, again, we don't recommend people do this, but you actually would have to go to the doctor a lot more often to get your shots. So this will get you into your boss and you're like, you know what? I'm not working eight hour days anymore, but I will work shorter days and I'll just come in seven days a week.We've talked about how vaccines can protect your children, but they also protect the communities around us. That's the concept behind herd immunity.Bethany Van Delft: Which is — I'm immune, ya heard?!Alok Patel: I like where you're going. Herd immunity more refers to the fact that if enough people in a community get vaccinated, they essentially protect the few individuals who may not have their shots. It's like kind of like think about like a flock of sheep or cattle, are they called flocks?Bethany Van Delft: Flock of...Alok Patel: Herd.Bethany Van Delft: Herd of cattle obviously dude. A herd of cattle.Alok Patel: Think about a large group of cattle.And the more cows and the more sheep there are, the less likely it is for a predator to get in there and penetrate them. So kind of an animal analogy, but essentially with different vaccine preventable diseases, we need a certain percentage of the population to be vaccinated, to be able to protect everyone else who doesn't have their shots.Bethany Van Delft: For it to not spread.Alok Patel: For it to not spread it. This is the concept behind herd immunity.Now, if herd immunity percentages drop below a certain threshold, we can see those diseases spread. And one big example is measles.So fancy epidemiological term here — The “r-naught”, that’s actually what it’s called it’s a little “r” and zero. I didn’t name it but it’s an important number. It’s the measure of the average number of people that could contract an infectious disease from one single case. So the r-naught measles ranges from 12-18.So for measles, the herd immunity is really important and we need about ninety five percent of the population to be vaccinated against measles for it to not spread.Bethany Van Delft: Ya heard? Ya flock? That's gonna be our new thing.[CREDITS]Alok Patel: I'm sorry I made a mistake on camera.Bethany Van Delft: It's my new thing. You flock?Alok Patel: Flock immunity is not wrong.Bethany Van Delft: Yo good to see you, you flock?

Just a few years ago, pediatricians advised parents to shield their children from allergenic foods before the age of one. Research now shows that exposing children to these foods—like peanuts and eggs—when they can tolerate solid foods may actually be good for them and help prevent food allergies in the future.

How do you safely expose your child to common food allergens?

Understanding Food Allergens

Many babies begin to explore solid foods between the ages of four and six months. Hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft discuss how to safely expose your child to common food allergens.The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends introducing common food allergens to children early and often. Research shows that early introduction might actually provide a layer of protection and help prevent food allergies.Anaphylaxis occurs when the body is exposed to an allergen and the immune system “goes haywire,” says Alok. Symptoms of anaphylaxis may include flushing of the skin, hives, trouble breathing, increased heart rate, nausea, and vomiting.Epinephrine—also called adrenaline— is the only medication that helps reverse the symptoms of an allergic reaction and can be life-saving. If someone needs an epinephrine treatment because of an allergic reaction, “You should be calling 911 and seeking medical care immediately,” says Alok. But there are situations where you may have to give epinephrine (via an auto-injector, or EpiPen) to others without having medical training yourself. Remember, be sure to read and follow the instructions when using an epinephrine auto-injector. In general, when administering an auto-injector,“Blue to the sky, orange to the thigh.”The orange part of the injector should go straight into the person’s thigh, and the blue safety seal should be away from the body. When the injector hits the thigh, you should hear a “click” and wait a full three seconds while the medication dispenses into the body. Once the three seconds are up, rub the injection site for 10 seconds. After you’ve dispensed the epinephrine, you should be either waiting for medical personnel to arrive on the scene or driving to an emergency department, “because some kids may need another dose of epinephrine or more medical treatment,” says Alok.Brand name epinephrine auto-injectors can be expensive. Alok suggests that you chat with your doctor about getting a generic epinephrine auto-injector because they can be life-saving in the face of anaphylaxis.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Just a few years ago, pediatricians advised parents to shield their children from allergenic foods before the age of one. Research now shows that exposing children to these foods—like peanuts and eggs—when they can tolerate solid foods may actually be good for them and help prevent food allergies in the future.

Understanding Food AllergensPublished: August 16, 2021Bethany Van Delft: You are going to be mad at me when I tell you this, but let's hear it. Let's hear it. We didn't follow any of those allergy guidelines with our kids. We just like fed them stuff when it was appropriate. Gave them a little bit of peanut butter, a little bit of shrimp, and then we waited to see what happened. Like, that's what my mom did and that's what her mom did, you know?Alok Patel: I mean, your kids turned out OK.Bethany Van Delft: "OK" remains to be seen, but they don't have allergies.[BUMPER]Alok Patel: We used to tell parents to watch out for all these allergenic foods when their kids are under the age of one.We were like, shield your kids away from peanuts and watch out for wheat, fish, shellfish and tree nuts and definitely no eggs before age one. No cows milk at all before age one.Bethany Van Delft: But we don't do that anymore, right?Alok Patel: No. So for the past few years, studies have been coming out which show that giving kids these allergenic foods early on when they're ready to tolerate solid foods like four to six months may actually be good for them and prevent food allergies in the future. And the American Academy of Pediatrics changed their guideline. Two big foods, which we've seen that kids can safely get early, which may help them later on, are peanuts and eggs.Bethany Van Delft: So we know that allergies can be very, very severe. Let's talk about a really severe allergic reaction.Alok Patel: We're talking about anaphylaxis, which is a life threatening response to an allergen. I mean, this involves multiple organ systems and can absolutely be devastating. Causes, symptoms like flushing of the skin, hives, troubled breathing, a fast heart rate, nausea, vomiting, all of it. Now, essentially, what happens is when the allergen comes in contact with the body, which is going to cause anaphylaxis, immunoglobulin IgE binds it and this sets off a cascade in the immune system goes haywire. Now, in this situation, it's really important for people to recognize immediately that action needs to be taken because the trouble breathing sometimes could be mistaken as something like asthma. But remember, with anaphylaxis, there's a difference in the trigger and the onset. If your child or teen or anyone you know is having anaphylaxis, there's only one drug that works fast enough to potentially save their life. And that's epinephrine. Now, obviously, you should be calling 9-1-1 or seeking medical care immediately, but in certain situations you may need to give them epinephrine. Now, if you're in a situation where you need to give someone epinephrine, you may be around an epinephrine auto injector...Onscreen: Commonly called by brand name, EpiPen.Alok Patel: And you're like, how do I use this thing? So let's do a demonstration. So what we're gonna do, we're gonna hold the auto injector up. We're gonna take off the green twisty cap. All right. So now we have the child's thigh right here and we are orange to the thigh, blue to the sky. Let's take off the blue safety seal. All right. We are now ready to save this child's life or this orange's life. And you're going to want to swing it right into the side of the thigh and hold it there. Wait for the click and wait three seconds. Three seconds is how much time it takes for all the medication to go out and be administered into the thigh.Onscreen: Always read and follow the instructions, some auto-injectors need 10 seconds.Bethany Van Delft: Do they all work like that? Pretty similar?Alok Patel: They are pretty similar.Bethany Van Delft: And there were lots of big instructions on the side too.Alok Patel: And now usually what you want to do is rub the kids thigh for 10 seconds. Make sure everything is cool and at this point you should be either waiting for emergency medical personnel or driving to an emergency department.Bethany Van Delft: This gets them to safety?Alok Patel: This gets them safety.Bethany Van Delft: But they still have to be seen by a medical professional.Alok Patel: This can absolutely save a life.Epinephrine is a hormone that helps reverse symptoms of an anaphylaxis by doing a few critical things — it helps relax the muscles around of the airways, making breathing easier and it helps maintain blood pressure and heart function.And it does one more really important thing — it suppresses any further release of the chemical that is responsible for allergic reactions, histamine.But some people say that they have trouble finding one because they're really expensive. So again, chat with your doctor about trying to find a generic epinephrine auto injector because they're really important and can be lifesaving. You've got this.

Sleep can have a profound effect on children's growth and development. Here’s the lowdown (or "lay down") on how much sleep your child needs between naps and a full night’s rest.

Sleep can have a profound effect on children's growth and development.

How Much Sleep Does My Kid Need?

Sleep deprivation can lead to a plethora of problems: Short term, it can cause mood disorders, stress, anxiety, and even poor performance in school. And prolonged sleep deprivation can lead to chronic diseases. Hosts Dr. Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft explain why sleep is so important, how much sleep kids really need, and how you can help your child (regardless of age) get better sleep. The recommended amount of sleep for teens is between 8 to 10 hours. But 80 to 90% of teens in America aren't receiving enough sleep every night and unfortunately, “catching up” on sleep over the weekend doesn’t make up for lost sleep during the week. Young children need a little more sleep than teens: Children age 0 to 3 months should be getting 14 to 17 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period, although at that age, children will wake every few hours to eat. Although children’s nap time can be great for parents like Bethany (who wishes her kids could continue napping through grade school), napping generally stops around kindergarten or first grade. Talk to a doctor if you think your child is getting too much or too little sleep for their age. And keep in mind, “if your child is getting lots of naps and having fragmented sleep at night, you can’t add all these naps together and say they’ve met their sleep needs,” says Alok. A consistent bedtime and bedtime routine is essential to improving the quality of sleep. It’s up to all of us—from schoolteachers to parents to clinicians—to encourage teens to maintain a steady sleep schedule. Another sleep tip from Alok: No screens before bed. TV, computer, and phone screens emit blue wavelengths of light that can block melatonin (the hormone responsible for helping us sleep) from being secreted into the brain. “In a perfect world, 1 to 2 hours before bedtime” is when screens should be shut off, Alok suggests. Reducing stimulus, creating an established bedtime routine, and making sure your child has an optimal environment to sleep in can help them get more sleep.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Sleep can have a profound effect on children's growth and development. Here’s the lowdown (or "lay down") on how much sleep your child needs between naps and a full night’s rest.

How Much Sleep Does My Kid Need?Published: August 23, 2021Alok Patel: There's multiple reasons why 80 to 90 percent of teens in America are not getting the recommended eight to 10 hours of sleep per night. Bethany Van Delft: That much? That's like a lot. Almost all teens aren't getting enough sleep. Alok Patel: It's an alarming amount. And it's an issue because sleep deprivation in teens can lead to a ton of problems from mood disorders, anxiety to stress, trouble in school. And long term sleep deprivation is linked to a lot of chronic diseases.That's not a good thing. Teens sometimes aren't getting the same amount of sleep throughout the week. In other words, they are very, very sleep deprived during the week and then say, oh, I can make up for my sleep over the weekend by sleeping for 13 hours, when in reality we have to have a consistent bedtime every single day. Bethany Van Delft: I didn't know that either. I thought you could make up for sleep on the weekend. Alok Patel: You cannot catch up on sleep deprivation. That myth busted, myth busted. Bethany Van Delft: So it's up to parents to enforce good sleep habits? Alok Patel: It's up to a lot of factors from parents, to general awareness, because teens have to take a little bit of control of their actions, to even school and society in general to encourage teens to get more sleep. But let me ask you a question about one thing that we can all change. Do you use a screen before you go to bed? Bethany Van Delft: I do not. Alok Patel: I'm actually impressed. Bethany Van Delft: There's no TV in our room, even. Alok Patel: Amazing. I wish every teen would do this. This is like model sleep hygiene, because here's the thing. Most of the screens that we look at this is a computer screen, your telephone, a tablet, emit, blue wavelengths of light. Now, right now, you're probably like a science nerd. Who cares? Here's the thing. Blue wavelengths of light can block melatonin, which is a hormone secreted in our brain from the pineal gland. For anyone who wants to look it up. Bethany Van Delft: Is that what's the thing with the blue light? It actually blocks? Alok Patel: It blocks melatonin. Melatonin before we go to bed. It peaks in the middle of the night and is really responsible for making sure that our internal clocks are working and we're getting restful sleep. And no one talks about the fact that blue wavelengths of light can disrupt melatonin.While any kind of light can suppress melatonin at night, blue light is the most powerful regulator of our sleep-wake cycle or circadian rhythm. Pigments in our eyes are more sensitive to cool colors with short wavelengths, like blue light, tricking the brain into thinking it’s still daytime and disrupting our natural circadian rhythm.Bethany Van Delft: What is the time period before sleep that doctors recommend no blue light? What is the recommendation and then what is realistic practice? Alok Patel: Great question. Thank you. So in a perfect world, we say at least one hour before bed.Bethany Van Delft: Not happening. Alok Patel: And most of the teens I talk to openly tell me,We have extracurricular activities and then we have homework. We have responsibilities. We don't get to bed till very late. And I think this brings up a really important point, because when we talk about teen sleep deprivation, we often point fingers at teens. Truth be told, some teens aren't getting enough sleep because they have to work another job after school or they have to commute a really long way home from high school or they have family responsibilities. So there also is this massive disparity in society, which also contributes to sleep deprivation. Bethany Van Delft: How many hours of sleep should it really be getting Alok Patel: Textbook to answer? But those really, really young babies, zero to three months, obviously need a ton of sleep, about 14 to 17 hours a day. That's going to involve some napping because your child should not be sleeping that much in one stretchBut then as kids go through adolescence into grade school, they're going to be a little bit more less sleep as time goes on until the time they're teenagers, about eight to 10 hours of sleep is recommended.Bethany Van Delft: OK, when should kids stop napping? My answer is never. What's your answer? Alok Patel: My answer is again. Look at how much sleep they're getting overnight, naps can not replace a full night of sleep. So if you have a growing child and they're getting a bunch of naps, but then they have fragmented, broken sleep at night, you can't add all the naps together and say we're good. It's still 12 hours. But obviously in newborn babies who need upwards of 17 hours of sleep, they're going to do that through a bunch of different apps because, well, you know better than I do. They're going to wake up a bunch because they want to eat.Bethany Van Delft: OK, I guess what I'm trying to get you to do is say that napping is mandatory so I can tell my kids they have to nap. Dr. Alok said you have to nap. Nap now. I can't tell them it's 4 out of 5 Doctors say, nap.Alok Patel: Your children are a little bit older, there are a little bit older, so I can't say it's mandatory nap. Here's the thing. In the United States, we see a lot of napping start to stop around the time kids are in kindergarten and first grade. And that's that's pretty regular. It's pretty regular.So when it comes to talking about ways to improve sleep, it's a multifaceted approach in creating the optimal sleep environment. Bethany Van Delft: So I know it's got to be it should be cool. Let cool, cooler, cooler, cooler, you should have a period of winding down. Alok Patel: These are things I'm all assuming you do with Nikko and Lulu? Bethany Van Delft: Yes. Yeah. Mm hmm. Established sleep routine. Awesome. We do that. Alok Patel: So you nailed it, in a cool environment, dark, kind of reducing all the stimulus, creating an established bedtime routine and then other things that we can work on as children get older and for us is reducing the blue light around us. And avoid taking stimulants before bed. No coffee.What you do want to do is have a regular sleep routine, do something that is less stimulating, like read a book, go to bed at a consistent time, and don't ignore the signs that you're tired. If you're sleepy, go to bed.

Puberty—the process of developing from a child to a reproductive adult—can make a kid look, feel, and act differently. Here’s what’s happening to your kid. Hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft are back for round two of the puberty talk. This time, they’re breaking down the science behind the body’s big shift, full of chemicals and hormones, as it grows to become capable of reproduction.

This time, we're breaking down the science behind the body’s big shift.

Hormones, Body Odor, and Acne, Oh My! Puberty 101

Hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft are back for round two of the puberty talk. This time, they’re breaking down the science behind the body’s big shift, full of chemicals and hormones, as it grows to become capable of reproduction. Hormones, the chemical messengers of the body, are complex. And as puberty gets underway, your child’s brain will release hormones in new ways. For people of trans, nonbinary, or intersex experience, the process may be a little different. But when it comes to puberty, “we’re just talking about a biological process,” Alok says. Adrenarche—the process when the adrenal glands begin to secrete hormones—is responsible for some of the physical changes of puberty: the growth of underarm and pubic hair and the development of body odor, skin oiliness, and acne. Part of the brain goes from steadily releasing a hormone called GnRH to releasing it in pulses. This cues the pituitary gland—also located in the brain—to release two hormones that are major players in the puberty process: LH, or luteinizing hormone, and FSH, or follicle-stimulating hormone. Depending on whether your child has testicles or ovaries, LH and FSH will do different things in the body. In biological females, “they’re gonna cause maturation of the ovaries, the release of eggs, and the rise of certain hormones like estrogen,” Alok says. This influx of hormones also triggers breast development and fat redistribution around the hip area. Menarche, or the first period, accompanies this process. In biological males, LH and FSH stimulate the production of sperm and testosterone. Once these hormones are released, your child will experience a growth spurt, which comes in a little later than the female growth spurt. "I was taller than every boy I knew until I was 17 or so," says Bethany. He may grow taller and heavier, his shoulders may broaden, and his muscles may develop. Your child may also grow facial hair and his voice may begin to crack and squeak. This is also the time of spermarche—the development of sperm and penis growth. Some kids undergo delayed puberty. “Sometimes it’s no big deal and everything’s gonna be OK; your child’s going to develop without any issue,” Alok says. Other times an underlying medical condition, poor nutrition, or external stressors, like intense physical training for sports, can delay puberty. In these situations, Alok suggests, chat with your pediatrician or an endocrinologist.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

Puberty—the process of developing from a child to a reproductive adult—can make a kid look, feel, and act differently. Here’s what’s happening to your kid.

Puberty—the process of developing from a child to a reproductive adult—can make a kid look, feel, and act differently. Here’s what’s happening to your kid.

Hormones, Body Odor, and Acne, Oh My! Puberty 101Published: August 30, 2021Bethany Van Delft: And here we go: Puberty!Alok Patel: Puberty 101.Bethany Van Delft: Puberty 101.Alok Patel: Let’s take it back to those early, awkward years.Bethany Van Delft: I don’t know if it was awkward, as much as just I was awkward.Alok Patel: Everyone’s different.Bethany Van Delft: And it’s fine.Alok Patel: And it’s fine!Bethany Van Delft: The process of puberty is going from childhood to becoming a reproductive being.Alok Patel: That’s what it is.Bethany Van Delft: How does it all start? You’re just going along, minding your business, having your friends, reading your books, and then all of a sudden, yadaladalada! Like, what? Alok Patel: Start yodeling? Bethany Van Delft: I started yodeling! You didn’t?Alok Patel: So when we’re born, the reproductive axis, which is this fancy way of saying, the parts of your brain which control all the hormones needed for puberty, that axis is active for a very short period, and then it’s suppressed. And then, for a multitiude of different reasons we don’t fully understand, the axis comes alive later and starts puberty.Bethany Van Delft: It just takes a long nap.Alok Patel: It takes a long nap!Bethany Van Delft: It’s like, “Hey, what we doin’, what we doin’? Oh, nothing? Breastfeeding? Okay.”Alok Patel: Here’s essentially what happens. There’s a lot of different chemical reactions and hormones being thrown around the body. Remember, hormones — very, very complex topic but these are essentially chemical messengers that run around your body and basically tell different parts of your body to do things. And one thing that happens is the adrenal glands start to secrete hormones, adrenal androgens. This process, which we call adrenarche...Bethany Van Delft: Adrenarche.Alok Patel: And this is responsible for underarm hair, pubic hair, skin oiliness, all that stuff, that body odor.Bethany Van Delft: Adrenarche. Sounds like anarchy. That’s what it feels like kinda. Yeah, like I was just chilling, reading my books, reading my Kafka. And all of a sudden, blaaah!Alok Patel: Is Kafka good puberty reading?We suspect that the body has its own internal rhythm for triggering puberty.Bethany Van Delft: So we know the popular signs of puberty but how does it happen?Alok Patel: I like the fact that you’re calling it popular cause it’s nothing to be ashamed of.Bethany Van Delft: It’s not!Alok Patel: The hypothalamus, up here in the brain, the mothership will go from a steady release of something called gonadotropin-releasing hormone or GnRH to releasing it in pulses, which then tells your pituitary gland to release two of the major players in puberty — LH, or luteinizing hormone, and FSH, follicle-stimulating hormone. And this is where everything else happens and where the cascade starts.Bethany Van Delft: The cascade being?Alok Patel: The transition to being a sexually-mature organism capable for reproduction.Bethany Van Delft: Clearly, you know, there are different body parts and such involved here. Does that inform the hormones? Does that inform what the hormones do, like, how the changes happen?Alok Patel: We do have different body parts.But let me interject here and say that in addition to girls parts or boy parts, there are also people who have different parts, or intermediate parts. People who don’t fit within a traditional binary gender system of male or female. There are people who are trans, or people who don’t have a gender. But when it comes to puberty, we’re just talking about a biological process. So here’s how it usually operates for people who have ovaries and people who have testicles.So luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone, LH and FSH, are gonna do different things depending on if you have ovaries or if you have testicles because there’s different sexual maturation processes. So let’s start with girls. Around the age of 8 to 13, LH and FSH are gonna head down to the ovaries.Bethany Van Delft: That sounds like a joke. LH and FSH headed down to the ovaries.Alok Patel: They’re gonna cause maturation of the ovaries, the release of eggs, and the rise of certain hormones like estrogen. Still funny joke?Bethany Van Delft: Yeah, very funny. Estrogens!Alok Patel: This influx in hormones may then go and influence thelarche…Bethany Van Delft: Thelarche.Alok. ...which is the development of small, firm, tender breast buds. So it’s basically early breast development.Bethany Van Delft: Okay. Alok Patel: After this, we start to really see a growth spurt. We’ll also see the redistribution of fat in girls around their hips, their butts, and their breasts. And at this time, there’s also enlargement of the uterus and further development of the vaginal mucosa.And then, after this, we have menarche, or the first period. And this kind of completes puberty. Bethany Van Delft: What about boys?Alok Patel: Boys a little different. We’re gonna do that in a second cut cause I’m gonna review my notes real quick.Bethany Van Delft: Ok.Alok Patel: What about boys? Bethany Van Delft: What about boys? Alok Patel: Well, we have something very special called testicles. I was too enthusiastic about that. But basically, LH and FSH, our two puberty hormones, travel down to the testes, where they’re going to stimulate the production of sperm and testosterone. Now, around this time, boys will also see a growth spurt, which comes a couple years later than girls. Sometime around age 10 to 16.Bethany Van Delft: This is true. I was taller than every boy I knew until I was about 17 or so.Alok Patel: But also, there are some body changes in them as well. Boys’ shoulders start to broaden, they develop more muscle, they put on weight.Also at this time, guys will start to develop facial hair, which is always a really fun one to deal with. I cut my face plenty of times in junior high.And the thing that everyone loves to do impressions of is boys’ voices start to crack and squeak. And what’s happening is the vocal cords start to grow longer, and the larynx, or the voice box, starts to get bigger.Bethany Van Delft: Does that have to do with the…Alok Patel: Yeah, it pushes it pushes out a piece of tissue, which is why boys usually have an Adam’s apple. Some boys during this hormone influx can develop something called gynecomastia. Or breast buds. Nothing to worry about, but it’s essentially a small amount of breast tissue, under the nipples obviously, can be tender, but it goes away after a few months.As the testicles get larger boys enter spermarche — the development of sperm. There’s also the enlargement of the penis as well. This will lead to more erections. This’ll even lead to ejaculation, which may happen from masturbation or a wet dream. There, I said it.Bethany Van Delft: Ehm, what about kids who don’t hit those timeframes?Alok Patel: So there’s variation, but there’s also what we call delayed puberty.Sometimes it’s no big deal and everything’s gonna be okay your child’s going to develop without any issue. Other times, it might be related to an underlying medical condition, poor nutrition, or — for some — it could be related to intense physical training for something like track, dancing, or gymnastics. Don’t fret, chat with your doctor, and if you can chat with an endocrinologist, a specialist at dealing with hormones.Bethany Van Delft: Perfect.Alok Patel: Funny story. Everyone remembers AOL Instant Messenger, rest in peace. I used to talk on that thing until really late at night when I was a teenager and my mom says that because of that lack of sleep, I didn't get growth hormone, which is why I'm short. So, she blames AOL Instant Messenger for my height. Do you want to see what happens when I’m not on these blocks? You know?

61 million adult Americans live with some sort of physical, sensory, or intellectual disability. When parents receive the news—prenatally or postnatally—that their child may have some form of a chromosomal difference or intellectual disability, it’s key that healthcare providers relay this diagnosis in a way that’s respectful to the family and those who live with these disabilities every day.

61 million adult Americans live with some sort of disability.

Kids with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

“Getting an unexpected diagnosis about your baby can be a really emotionally charged experience,” says Bethany. “There is no right way or wrong way to feel.” What makes the experience supportive or harmful, Bethany explains, is how the diagnosis is conveyed to the parents.Based on the time or type of information they receive from their healthcare provider, some couples may decide whether or not to continue the pregnancy. This is why it’s important, says Alok, to use wording that’s complete, accurate, consistent, non-judgemental, evidence-based, and respectful when conveying a diagnosis about an intellectual or developmental disability.Disabilities are generally sorted into physical, sensory, intellectual and developmental categories, and can often overlap depending on the diagnosis. Across the board, these different disabilities can affect mobility or dexterity; sensory information processing; cognitive ability and learning; and day to day functioning.Each family’s experience with their child’s diagnosis will be different, and what they need for support will differ as well. Bethany suggests seeking out a new doctor or healthcare provider if they aren’t meshing well with your family or providing your child the support they may need. “If you were seeing a hairdresser who kept giving you an unsatisfactory haircut, you would seek out a new hairdresser. The care of your child is infinitely more important than your hairstyle.” So, don’t be afraid to “break up” with your doctor and find one who will better care for your child.“We’re taking care of individuals, not just treating a medical condition,” Alok adds. Asking a person how they’d like to be referred to in regard to their disability is important, too. Some people prefer person-first language (i.e., “a child with Down syndrome”) while others would prefer the opposite. What’s key is to not use words that conflate morality with a condition, (i.e., “good” or “bad”) when discussing a disability with both neurotypical and neurodivergent children. Children with disabilities have a higher likelihood of being bullied, which is why raising children with respect and teaching the correct language to use is so imperative to creating an inclusive society.“In many ways, having a family with a child or a person with a disability is different. But in most ways it’s the same,” Bethany says. A child with a disability needs and deserves all the love, support, respect, and opportunity they need to live an awesome life—it’s just a matter of creating a community to uplift them.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

61 million adult Americans live with some sort of physical, sensory, or intellectual disability. When parents receive the news—prenatally or postnatally—that their child may have some form of a chromosomal difference or intellectual disability, it’s key that healthcare providers relay this diagnosis in a way that’s respectful to the family and those who live with these disabilities every day.

Supporting Kids with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Kids with Intellectual and Developmental DisabilitiesPublished: September 8, 2021Bethany Van Delft: I remember when we got our diagnosis of Down Syndrome with our first child. I remember vividly the wording, the room, the light in the room, what the doctor had on, and what popped into my head. It’s a really, it’s an impactful moment and it can be less stressful.Getting an unexpected diagnosis about your baby prenatally or postnatally, such as a chromosomal difference or a potential intellectual disability or any disability can be a really, really emotionally-charged experience. Every family's experience is different. I can tell you from personal experience, there is no right way to feel or wrong way to feel. But the way the news is delivered can really be a supportive experience or it can be a really harmful experience. And that's why it is absolutely imperative to deliver the news appropriately.Alok Patel: You know, some couples out there may make a decision about continuing or terminating a pregnancy based on the type of information they receive about a medical diagnosis. This is why the wording we use as medical professionals has to be complete, accurate, consistent, nonjudgmental, up-to-date, evidence-based, and respectful.And this involves a lot of us. Nearly a quarter of adult Americans, or 61 million of us, are living with some type of physical, sensory or intellectual disability. So how we talk to families, how we convey diagnoses, how we offer counseling or support is really important.In fact, a document put together by a few medical organizations concluded that with Down syndrome, for example, information and counseling should be complete, consistent, nonjudgmental and non-coercive. Bethany, in your opinion, what's the best way for health care professionals to deliver this information and support families who receive this kind of diagnosis?Bethany Van Delft: I think it's really important, just like you said, to listen to families and honor each family's experience and hear where they are at the moment. Listen to what they want for support. Try to provide that support. And let me know if this offends you, but if a medical professional isn't really jibing with your family, it doesn't mean they're a bad doctor. You can change doctors, you can change providers.We ended up switching doctors two times until we found two doctors who were very excited to collaborate with each other and with our family to figure out what was the best care for our child. At one point, it took two years to find another doctor who is a good fit with our children’s pediatrician.Would you be offended if we broke up with you as a family?Alok Patel: Offended is not the right word. I would be sad if you broke up with me, like socially. I was like, “I enjoyed the interaction.” Please don't leave. But at the same time, you should always feel empowered to seek the best care for you, your specific situation, your child.Bethany Van Delft: This is oversimplification. But if you were seeing a hairdresser who kept giving you a haircut that you were really unsatisfied with and uncomfortable with, you would find a new hairdresser. The care of your child is infinitely more important than your hairstyle.Alok Patel: What if you cut your own hair?Bethany Van Delft: You can cut your own hair, Alok, but you should not be encouraging anyone to doctor their own children. It's important for doctors to respect parents and families as equal experts in their child's life and care. And really, the best outcomes happen when we're all working together.Alok Patel: And words really do matter. Here’s a study about mothers who have children with Down syndrome. 82% were able to remember with accuracy the wording used when they first received that diagnosis about their child 21 years later.Bethany Van Delft: And there are different categories of disability.Alok Patel: We usually put them into categories like physical, sensory, intellectual or developmental. A physical disability is something that would result in a loss or impairment of a bodily function that may inhibit somebody’s mobility, their stamina, dexterity, their ability to reach out and grab something, anything that you’re physically doing.A sensory disability is any medical condition that can affect the brain’s ability to process sensory information. And examples of sensory disabilities will be anything that can cause loss of vision, loss of hearing, or sensory processing disorders, which are often seen in children with autism spectrum disorder.Intellectual disability is used to describe people who may have certain impairments in cognitive skills, so the way they communicate, interact, or take care of themselves. And children with intellectual disabilities may develop or learn differently than neurotypical children. It’s important to know that intellectual disability could take place at any time during childhood, even before birth.Developmental disabilities encompass a variety of medical conditions that can affect someone’s language, learning, behavior, or their day-to-day functioning. Now, intellectual disability is just one type of developmental disability.Bethany Van Delft: And disabilities often overlap. Some kids with Down syndrome have intellectual and developmental disabilities, also known as IDDs.Another thing that’s important is using person first language. That’s seeing someone as a child or person before their disability. For example, we say a child with Down syndrome rather than a Down’s syndrome child.Alok Patel: We should always ask people how they want to be referred to because the disability or the medical condition does not define the child. They define themselves. I always stress we’re taking care of individuals. We’re not just treating a medical condition.Bethany Van Delft: It’s important not to say things like “normal” and “abnormal,” “good” or “bad.”Alok Patel: We can use better terms that encompass the differences among us, like “neurotypical” or “neurodivergent.”Bethany Van Delft: Children at a certain age group do get bullied and kids with disabilities are at a higher likelihood for getting bullied. And that’s why it is so important to raise our children, respecting all abilities, accepting all abilities, and being inclusive of all abilities.Alok Patel: And if we teach our children that, we can smash some of the stigma that is associated with disabilities.Bethany Van Delft: My dream is that we really start to reject this notion of societal “norms” and adopt a way more inclusive world view. In many ways, having a family with a child or a person with a disability is different, but in most ways it’s the same. A child with a disability needs all the same things a child without a disability needs: love, support, respect, opportunity and a vision for a really awesome, awesome life. If this is something your family is going through, feel how you’re going to feel, find your tribe, find the people that will love you, support you, and uplift you, your family just as you are That’s hopefully what it’s going to be all about in the future.Bethany Van Delft: And when you talk about disability, there are all kinds of diability, right?Alok Patel: Oh, absolutely. I don’t want to say, “Oh, absolutely.” Yeah!Bethany Van Delft: Disability!Alok Patel: Yeah! I’ll say it differently.

One in five US adolescents has a diagnosable mental health disorder. Here’s how you can encourage teens in your care to find balance in their lives and when to seek help from a professional.

Alok and Bethany explain why teens’ mental health care is so important.

Teens and Mental Health

Both a person’s brain chemistry and their environment can influence their mental state. “Mental health is not simply the absence of a mental health disorder,” Parentalogic cohost Alok Patel says. “Mental health is how all of us cope through everything that we deal with in life.” Teens, who have many “variables to deal with,” Alok says, are uniquely susceptible to mental health disorders. In this episode, hosts Alok and Bethany Van Delft build on the facts presented in Parentalogic’s puberty videos to explain why teens’ mental health care is so important. Oftentimes, a mental health disorder will be described as a "chemical imbalance," as chemical messengers in the brain called neurotransmitters regulate the different moods one might experience. Neurotransmitters like dopamine, endorphins, serotonin, and oxytocin can make a person feel happy and fulfilled. They can be influenced by activities like exercise, spending time with friends, or eating good food. "This is why some adolescents might feel down or tired, then all of a sudden get really excited to go play their favorite sport," Alok says. One step that caregivers can take to promote a teen's mental health is to encourage safe activities that boost their mood. Some neurotransmitters are dependent on healthy cycles—like a set sleep schedule and regular nutritious meals—to flourish. In Parentalogic’s sleep cycles video, Alok and Bethany explain that teens often have a bevy of responsibilities that can prevent them from sleeping on time. Caregivers can also help promote good mental health by leading by example and limiting their own before-bed screen time at home, for example. Even if healthy behavior is being promoted at home, teens can still develop a mental illness. If you notice that your child’s sleeping or eating habits have changed, they show little to no interest in what they usually enjoy, and/or they have trouble concentrating, it may be time to start a conversation about their mental health. And if your teen is expressing thoughts of self-harm or suicide, "you should seek emergency help ASAP," Alok says. As teens grow older and their brains develop, disorders should become more manageable, whether it be through medication or therapy and counseling. "A lot of teens get a big benefit from just talking to someone," Alok says. Addressing mental health stigma and building trust with your teen can help them feel safe and secure through this stage of life. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> and receive alerts when new episodes launch!

One in five US adolescents has a diagnosable mental health disorder. Here’s how you can encourage teens in your care to find balance in their lives and when to seek help from a professional.

Teens and Mental HealthPublished: September 13, 2021Bethany Van Delft: I don't know about you, OK, but teen years were hard, hard for me, it was hard. I was five foot 10 by the time I was 13 years old, so I was way too tall. People called me Big Bird all the time because I had a big afro. Alok Patel: You said you were too tall. I felt too short. I was the little brown kid and I used to get teased. You blossomed, first of all. Bethany Van Delft: You too!We did all right. [BUMPER] Alok Patel: One out of five US adolescents have a diagnosable mental health disorder.Bethany Van Delft: I was one. Alok Patel: You were? Bethany Van Delft: Yes. I had bad anxiety. I still have it, but I manage it. Alok Patel: Mental health is not simply the absence of a mental health disorder Mental health is how all of us cope through everything that we deal with in life and think about all the variables teens have to deal with. Bethany Van Delft: I mean, really add anything to the mix of what's going on in the teen's body. And so, like, what is going on in a teenager's head, like with all the mood swings and the outbursts? I have to say I am not looking forward to that stage. Are they possessed by a cranky spirit or is there something actually happening in their brain that's making this happen and making them not love us anymore? Alok Patel: Well, they are possessed by a cranky spirit that is called adolescent brain development. And hopefully this adds a little bit of empathy to the teenage experience. So check this out. The parts of our brain that really deal with emotions like reward and happiness and sorrow and all that stuff, areas of the brain like the amygdala actually develop faster than the part of the brain that deals with problem solving, planning and acting out the prefrontal cortex.Bethany Van Delft: So it's like a whole theater company of emotions without a director yet or director saying,So does the brain provide any any remedy, is there anything in the brain that can help all of this?Alok Patel: There are little chemicals that go throughout our brain to accomplish all sorts of different tasks. Help regulate our moods, make us feel happy, satisfied and love living life. like neurotransmitters in my brain right now, because I'm hanging out with you this lovely day talking about stuff, I feel good. That's my dopamine, those are my endorphins, serotonin, oxytocin. Serotonin itself can regulate your mood, appetite, sleep, helps to inhibit pain.These neurotransmitters we talk about can be absolutely influenced by our daily activities. And some of these are obvious, like exercising, hanging out with friends. We are mammals, we're social creatures.But then there's other activities that are also really important for mental health that are a little bit more discreet to teens such as eating a well-balanced diet, which is really important for serotonin production. Remember that gut brain connection? And let's not forget about sleep, which is really important for not just mental health, but our total body health. And you know what it's like to be a teen. Teens like to stay up late at night watching TV on the screens, playing video games and pushing back sleep when we should be encouraging them to actually get a good night's rest. And we can also lead by example. Bethany Van Delft: Mm-hmm. Yes, what are some clear cut signs that it might be a good time to reach out to a teen? Alok Patel: I think one general thought is that even if we give people clear cut signs, it's just simply important to check in with your teen or, you know, if there's a teen that you supervise in any capacity or interact with just every now and then to check in and be like, how are you doing? How are things going? How are things at home?There are some clear, good things we should look out for, like changes in sleep, sleep too much sleeping too little changes in eating patterns, you know, trouble concentrating on school sports tasks or talking to people thoughts of self-harm, thoughts of suicide. If their symptoms or their feelings are affecting their ability to go to school, interact with their friends, family, do the things they love. Or if any of these warning signs for a few weeks or longer, you should definitely seek help as soon as you can. And for any child who may be having harmful thoughts or thoughts of suicide, you should seek emergency help ASAP. So, yes, there are some clear cut warning signs, if you will. But honestly, any deviation from your child's normal routine, you know, any anything that might be different is just a time for you to check in. Bethany Van Delft: I don't have teenage kids, my kids are still pretty young but I do try, whenever possible to empathize with where they’re at. Like if my five year old has a tantrum about something and I’m like what is that about, this isn't that serious but I try to imagine what is that like to be that height, to be powerless in their environment and I try to empathise and connect with him on that level. So I don't know what it's like to have teenagers but I wonder if that would be helpful when this time comes, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to watching this episode over and over again when they are teenagers.Alok Patel: Crushing the stigma, helping teens feel safe, secure and building trust and helping teens know whom they can talk to is how we can work together to increase early intervention, which is key when it comes to helping teens who may be going through a crisis, having questions about mental health or an actual diagnosable mental health disorder. Helping teens get through a mental illness. It's not just about medications. There's also talk therapy, counseling. And a lot of this is now available, you know, via apps. And you can use your smartphone and you can talk to a certified mental health professional. And a lot of teens get a real big benefit from just talking to someone and running through what they're going through. [CREDITS] Empowering you and helping you live life. This is why you might feel good after you go and do your favorite dance. Dance? This is why…

Join Parentalogic hosts, pediatrician Alok Patel and comedian Bethany Van Delft, as they dive into topics nearly all parents face—from pregnancy to poop, fevers to tantrums, and preschool to puberty. Personal, informative, and witty, the digital series explores what science has to say about the questions that keep parents up at night, turning trial into triumph.

Parenting is full of obstacles that can be hard to navigate—even without a toddler yelling at your face. There’s no instruction manual, which means discerning fact from fiction and reasonable from ridiculous can be maddening. That’s where Parentalogic comes in, brought to you by the science documentary series NOVA and PBS Digital Studios.

Parenting is full of obstacles that can be hard to navigate—even without a toddler yelling at your face. There’s no instruction manual, which means discerning fact from fiction and reasonable from ridiculous can be maddening. That’s where Parentalogic comes in, a digital series brought to you by NOVA and PBS Digital Studios. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/parentalogic">Subscribe to the YouTube channel</a> to receive alerts when new episodes launch.

Parentalogic

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Why Toddlers Throw Tantrums

What Should Your Kids' Poop Look Like?

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