Your Child is Normal: with Dr Jessica Hochman
Welcome to Your Child Is Normal, the podcast that educates and reassures parents about childhood behaviors, health concerns, and development. Hosted by Dr Jessica Hochman, a pediatrician and mom of three, this podcast covers a wide range of topics--from medical issues to emotional and social challenges--helping parents feel informed and confident. By providing expert insights and practical advice, Your Child Is Normal empowers parents to spend less time worrying and more time connecting with their children.
Episodes
256 episodes
Ep 252: Helping Kids With ADHD Thrive at School: A Parent-Teacher Partnership
How can parents and teachers support children with ADHD?In this episode of Your Child Is Normal, Mike McLeod, founder of Grow Now ADHD discusses how parents and teachers can work together to support children with ADHD at scho...
Ep 251: The Gut Microbiome: What Actually Matters for Kids? with Stephanie Culler, PhD
What exactly is the gut microbiome—and how much does it really matter for our kids?In this episode of Your Child Is Normal, Dr. Jessica Hochman talks with Stephanie Culler, PhD, microbiome scientist and co-founder and CEO of Per...
Ep 250: Is This Normal—or Is It OCD? What Parents Need to Know with Dr. Emily Aron
Is your child's repetitive behavior just a normal childhood phase—or could it be OCD?In this episode of Your Child Is Normal, pediatrician Dr. Jessica Hochman talks with child psychiatrist Dr. Emily Aron about how obsessive-comp...
Ep 249: The Japanese Way of Parenting: What American Parents Can Learn About Manners, Independence & Community, with Lisa Katayama
The Japanese Way of Parenting: What American Parents Can Learn About Manners, Independence & CommunityWhat can American parents learn from the way children are raised in Japan?In this episode, I sit down with Lisa, author of <...
Ep 248: Why Your Teen Can’t Sleep: What Parents Need to Know, with Dr. Rakesh Bhattacharjee, pediatric sleep specialist
In this episode of Your Child Is Normal, Dr. Jessica Hochman talks with pediatric sleep specialist Dr. Bhattacharjee, who leads the sleep program at Rady Children’s Hospital, about why sleep is so important for children’s physica...
Ep 247: Feeding Kids Without Fear: Picky Eating, Nutrition & Practical Meal Tips with Jennifer Anderson
In this episode, Dr. Jessica Hochman sits down with Jennifer Anderson, founder of Kids Eat in Color, to discuss her new book, Feed Them Well, releasing September 8, 2026. They talk about how parents can tune out fear-based nutrition me...
Ep 246: Healthy Kids Without the Overwhelm: Small Changes That Actually Stick with pediatric health coach Arielle Levi, PhD
Parents today have access to more health information than ever—but does more information actually make it easier to raise healthy kids?In this episode of Your Child Is Normal, Dr. Jessica Hochman talks with Arielle Levi, pediatr...
Ep 245: Why it's Normal for Kids to Fear the Doctor—and How We Can Help, with Kaitlin Wiseman MD
Why are so many children afraid of going to the doctor—and what can parents do to help?In this episode, Dr. Jessica Hochman is joined by family physician and Playhouse MD co-founder Dr. Kaitlin to discuss why medical visits can feel so o...
Ep 244: Helping kids with back-to-school anxiety, with Lynn Lyons
In this episode, Dr. Jessica Hochman welcomes back anxiety expert Lynn Lyons, to discuss how parents can help children navigate back-to-school anxiety.Lynn explains why reassurance isn't always reassuring, why parents often talk too much...
Ep 243: Why Are Kids So Picky? The Surprising History of Children's Eating | Helen Zoe Veit
For years, many of us have assumed that toddlers are naturally picky—that children are simply born preferring bland foods, avoiding vegetables, and rejecting anything unfamiliar. But what if that's not actually true?This week I'm joined ...
Ep 242: Protecting Your Child's Vision: A Pediatric Retina Specialist Explains what parents need to know, Aaron Nagiel, MD, PhD
What are the most common eye injuries in children—and how can parents help prevent them?In this episode of Your Child Is Normal, Dr. Jessica Hochman sits down with Dr. Aaron Nagiel, pediatric retinal specialist and Chief of the ...
Ep 241: Beyond Medication: Natural Ways to Support Kids with ADHD, with Dana Kay
ADHD affects nearly 1 in 9 children in the United States, and many parents wonder whether medication is their only option. In this episode, I sit down with Dana Kay, founder of the ADHD Thrive Institute, to discuss practical lifestyle strategie...
Ep 240: Play First: Why Fun Is One of the Best Parenting Tools We Have w/ Dr. Kim Van Dusen
In this episode, therapist and play therapy expert Dr. Kim Van Dusen explains why play may be one of the most powerful parenting tools we have: play strengthens parent-child relationships, reduces power struggles, supports emotional regulation,...
Ep 239: Divorce Through a Child's Eyes: What Parents Need to Know with Erica Komisar
Divorce is one of the most significant transitions a family can experience—but how does it affect children, and what can parents do to minimize the emotional impact?In this episode, Dr. Jessica Hochman sits down with psychotherapist, psy...
Ep 238: Your Child Doesn't Need to Read Early: What Really Matters for Literacy, with Ruth Rothfeld-Hochman SLP (my Mother-in-Law)
Many parents worry about reading: Is my child reading early enough? What if my child doesn't like books?In this episode of Your Child Is Normal, Dr. Jessica sits down with a very special guest—her mother-in-law, a speech-language patholo...
Ep 237: What teens and tweens actually need for healthy skin? Dr Angela Casey, Dermatologist explains.
Skincare has become a major part of teen and tween culture. From Sephora shopping trips to elaborate nighttime routines, many kids are using more skincare products than ever before. But what do young people actually need for healthy skin?
Ep 236: Navigating Food Allergies and Early Introduction with allergist Dr Akansha Ganju
Food allergies can feel incredibly overwhelming for parents — especially during infancy when introducing new foods for the first time. What does a true allergic reaction actually look like? And what should families know about new treatment opti...
Ep 235: Parenting Through Anxiety: Practical Advice from Lynn Lyons (Replay)
In this replay of episodes 31 and 32 of Your Child Is Normal, anxiety expert and psychotherapist Lynn Lyons shares practical, reassuring advice for parents raising anxious kids.The conversation covers:how anxiety sho...
Ep 234: Can we teach our children to be resilient and develop a high self-esteem? with Dr Joan Rosenberg
What helps children become resilient? How do we raise kids with genuine confidence and self-esteem—while also helping them navigate disappointment, frustration, and uncomfortable emotions?In this episode of Your Child Is Normal,...
Ep 233: Why Routines Matter (Without Being Rigid) — with Jessica Irwin, (Rooted in Routine)
Parents hear it all the time: kids need routine. But what does that actually mean—and how do you make it work in real life without becoming overly rigid?In this episode, we are joined by pediatric occupational therapist Jess...
Ep 232: Motor Milestones Without Panic: What’s Normal, What’s Not, and When to Get Help w/ Daniella Brown
When it comes to babies and movement, parents often ask: Is my child developing normally? Should I be worried? And when is it time to get help?In this episode of Your Child Is Normal, Dr. Jessica Hochman is joined by Da...
Ep 231: Pumping 101: How to Make It Easier (and Less Overwhelming), with Tamari Jacob, One With The Pump
In this episode of Your Child Is Normal, Dr. Jessica Hochman sits down with pumping expert Tamari to break down everything parents need to know about pumping—from when to start, how often to pump, and how to make it actually work in re...
Ep 230: Sleep, Babies, and Sanity: What Parents Need to Know, with Chrissy Lawler, The Peaceful Sleeper
Sleep is one of the most common—and stressful—concerns for parents, especially in the first year of life.In this episode of Your Child Is Normal, Dr. Jessica Hochman sits down with therapist, sleep expert, and mom of four Chr...
Ep 229: The Benefits—and Risks—of Labels in Kids, with Pediatrician William Wilkoff MD
Why do parents feel so relieved when their child gets a diagnosis?And when can that same label do more harm than good?In this episode of Your Child Is Normal, Dr. Jessica Hochman speaks with pediatrician Dr. William...
Ep 228: Are We Over-Pathologizing Normal Boy Behavior? with Dr Michael Milobsky
In part two of my conversation with Dr. Michael Milobsky, we talk about boys — and why so much normal boy behavior is increasingly being labeled as a problem. We discuss redshirting, kindergarten expectations, ADHD concerns, school environments...