September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month. In this episode, a former sickle cell disease patient at Children's of Alabama interviews his former Children’s doctor to reflect on his battle with sickle cell disease and how the doctor empowered him to advocate for his care and create his own success story ..read more

"The developing brain of a teen is basically rewired when it comes in contact with nicotine." That's according to nationally certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist Robin Geurs. In this episode, she explains the impact vaping has on a teen's body and brain, and how parents can prevent vaping or help teens who already are vaping ..read more

In early December 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory citing an urgent need to address the mental health crisis among the country’s youth. Many children and teens were then and still are struggling with mental health issues. Some of the problems stem from the coronavirus pandemic, but many predate that. In this episode, clinical psychologist Dr. Daniel Marullo explains the many reasons for this crisis, and what parents need to know ..read more

Human trafficking has been a problem for a long time, but in recent years, experts have changed the way they handle human trafficking cases. Deb Schneider, a licensed social worker at Children’s of Alabama, explains this change and the difference it has made for victims of human trafficking. She also explains how to identify a possible human trafficking victim, and how a center a Children’s is providing hope for victims of all types of abuse ..read more

Each year, the Alabama Poison Information Center (APIC) receives thousands of calls from parents and health care providers with questions about everything from drug interactions to possible poison exposures to snake bites. Registered nurses and pharmacists trained in toxicology are available 24 hours a day to answer these questions. In this episode, Becky DeVore, a nurse educator with the APIC, explains the role of the center and how parents can protect their kids from some of the most common medication errors ..read more

Tetralogy of Fallot is a heart defect that usually requires open-heart surgery. But thanks to a new device called the Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve, many patients can have their hearts repaired without an open-heart procedure. Children's of Alabama pediatric cardiologist Dr. William McMahon was among the first doctors in the Southeast to perform a procedure with the Harmony valve. In this episode, he explains how this new device helps patients ..read more

Since early November, many children ages 5 to 11 have received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. But before this could happen, Pfizer had to test the vaccine in a trial. Children's of Alabama pediatric hospitalist Dr. Erinn Schmit entered her son in that trial. She explains why she wanted to have him participate and what it means to her family to play a role in this process ..read more

Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for emergency use in children ages 5 to 11, and many parents now have questions about it. In this episode, Dr. Gigi Youngblood and Dr. Peily Soong of Pediatrics East in Trussville, Alabama, answer some of the most common questions they're hearing from parents about getting their children vaccinated ..read more

The Southeast has often been referred to as the “stone belt” due to the high number of people suffering from kidney stones each year. In this episode of the Inside Pediatrics Podcast, pediatric urologist Dr. Pankaj Dangle explains why kidney stones are on the rise among children and how hydration and a nutritious diet can help prevent them ..read more

The Female Adolescent Bleeding (FAB) Clinic at Children's of Alabama is a partnership between doctors in Adolescent Medicine and Pediatric Hematology at Children's of Alabama. FAB helps treat painful, heavy periods that may keep young women from participating in activities. Some are afraid to talk about it, but their lives are disrupted every month. Certain issues can be corrected with hormonal balance, and others could signal a serious blood disorder that needs attention and follow up by a specialist ..read more