Q&A: AAP launches ‘Healthy Children’ podcast
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Key takeaways:
- The AAP launched a podcast to provide expert guidance to parents and other caregivers.
- The show’s first two episodes cover guidance for safe sleeping and social media.
The AAP launched a podcast called “Healthy Children” to provide expert medical guidance for parents and other caregivers.
According to the AAP, each 15- to 25-minute episode will feature interviews with leading experts on topics related to child health and wellness. The podcast’s first two episodes, which were released June 6 on Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts, cover guidance for safe sleeping and social media.
The podcast is hosted by Edith Bracho-Sanchez, MD, FAAP, a pediatrician at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Healio spoke with Bracho-Sanchez about the podcast and what it will cover.
Healio: Why a podcast for parents, and why now?
Bracho-Sanchez: Parents are busy, and the world is crazy. There’s no shortage of information being thrown at us from all angles — from well-meaning family members to social media influencers who seem to have it all figured out, to bad actors trying to create confusion and feed on our fears. A podcast with true experts who have done the work and walked the walk made total sense to me when the AAP approached me to host it.
The AAP is also doubling down on efforts to reach parents where they are, in a medium they prefer, with information that can help families thrive, which is very exciting. The podcast builds on the success of HealthyChildren.org, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year.
Healio: Who picks the topics for each episode?
Bracho-Sanchez: The AAP has a podcast production team involved in the “Healthy Children” podcast. The topics reflect new or updated recommendations from the AAP, timely or seasonal health topics and topics that are among the most searched-for content on HealthyChildren.org, the academy’s parenting website. Other topics for season one include lead exposure, nutrition, and noise, in time for the July 4 fireworks.
Healio: Are there any plans to discuss vaccine hesitancy?
Bracho-Sanchez: Absolutely. We will discuss the latest in vaccines, including vaccine hesitancy, in upcoming seasons because they’re a central part of pediatric health care. We realize that the discourse around vaccines has become polarized and has been fraught with disinformation, fear, shame, blame — you name it. I can tell you our conversations will come from a place of understanding that all parents are making the best decisions they can for their families, and my job as a pediatrician and host of this show is to give the most accurate information possible to empower parents’ choices.
Healio: What else is important to note about the show?
Bracho-Sanchez: For me as a pediatrician and a mom on my own journey — I have a 2-year-old — it is so nice to be able to have in-depth conversations about kids’ health without the constraints of a 20-minute doctor appointment. The advice I give and the conversations I have are rooted in the latest evidence and are also laced with the authenticity that comes from my own personal desire to be open and honest about my struggles. We have worked hard to create a judgment-free zone, and we hope people will tune in and let us know what they think.
For more information:
Bracho-Sanchez asks readers to send ideas or questions to podcast@aap.org.
References:
American Academy of Pediatrics launches new podcast for parents. https://www.aap.org/en/news-room/news-releases/aap/2024/american-academy-of-pediatrics-launches-new-podcast-for-parents/. Published June 6, 2024. Accessed June 10, 2024.
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