Podcast: The Stuff That Matters for Kids' Health

Having trouble making sense of all the latest news, trends, and recommendations for your kids' health? Edith Bracho-Sánchez, MD, is here to help. Dr. Bracho-Sánchez is a pediatrician and assistant professor of pediatrics at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She's also a mom, so she is on the front lines of children's health at work and at home. 

Dr. Bracho-Sánchez created The Stuff That Matters to Kids' Health, a podcast where she sits down with other experts in pediatrics to explore some of the most pressing issues that parents face today. She and her guests provide expert advice on what you can do—or not do—to raise happy and healthy kids. The first season is available on Apple, Spotify, and other platforms. See below for episodes and descriptions to date.

The content on this podcast is provided for general information only and should not be relied on as a substitute for any professional medical advice or treatment. The views shared on this show solely reflect the expertise and experience of the host and our guests.

Episode 1: A Realistic Take on Screen Time

Dr. Edith Bracho-Sánchez sits down to talk to Rebekah Diamond, MD, a pediatric hospitalist at Columbia University Children's Health, about the role screens play in their parenting, and about ways they've learned to both accept and limit their presence.

Episode 2: Autism is on the Rise—We Talk About Why

Autism spectrum diagnoses have been increasing for decades. Dr. Gaby Paskin, a developmental pediatrician at Columbia University Children’s Health, talks to Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez about what’s behind the increase, what we know about the causes of autism and best practices when it comes to its treatment. 

Episode 3: Thinking of Childhood Obesity Differently

The way doctors diagnose and treat childhood obesity is changing. Dr. John Rausch, a pediatric obesity expert at Columbia University Children’s Health sits down to talk to Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez about the latest guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics, where they came from, the backlash that they received and what’s happened for kids and their families since. 

Episode 4: What the Mental Health Crisis Looks Like in the Frontlines

Dr. Zachary Blumkin, psychologist and head of the psychiatry faculty practice at Columbia University, discusses what the mental health crisis for teens looks like on the frontlines, the complex factors that caused and have continued to worsen the crisis, and what parents can do to both prevent mental health difficulties and help their teens when they arise.

Episode 5: Guiding Tweens and Teens on Social Media

Dr. Edith sits down to talk to Marina Catallozzi, MD, chief health office at Barnard College and Vice Chair for Education in the department of pediatrics at Columbia University. In addition to her many roles, Dr. Catallozzi is a practicing adolescent medicine specialist and a mom of teens. She explains what is known about the ways social media can impact the adolescent brain, how to prepare tweens and teens for it, how to approach supervision on social media and more. 

Episode 6: Puberty is Happening Sooner—We Discuss Why and What We Can Do

Dr. Aviva Sopher, endocrinologist at Columbia University Children’s Health, sits down to talk to Dr. Edith about the increase in rates of early puberty. They talk about why it’s happening, the signs that parents and doctors can look out for, and the things we can all prevent.

Episode 7: Stimulating Kids’ Development—A Chat with a Very Practical Pediatrician

Are we putting too much pressure on ourselves and our kids when it comes to educational activities? Are we even, perhaps, overthinking it? Dr. Edith sits down with beloved developmental pediatrician Dr. Harriet McGurk to answer these questions and many more. Dr. McGurk recently retired from Columbia University Children’s Health but came out of retirement to bring perspective back into the parenting conversation.

Episode 8: What Do We Mean When We Say “Gut Health”? And, What Do We Know about it in Kids?- We Talk with a GI Doctor and a Dietitian

We are learned so much in recent years about the way our GI tract impacts our overall health. In this episode Dr. Edith sits down with Columbia gastroenterologist Dr. Ali Mencin and NewYork-Presbyterian dietitian Christine Hoyer to discuss what we mean when we say “gut health.” They discuss the concept of the first “1000 days” in childhood nutrition, what we know about the microbiome and its impact on our future risk for different illnesses and practical strategies to promote gut health starting early in life.

The content on this podcast is provided for general information only and should not be relied on as a substitute for any professional medical advice or treatment. The views shared on this show solely reflect the expertise and experience of the host and our guests.