Are you new to breastfeeding? It can be hard to know if you're producing enough milk for your baby or how long you should breastfeed. 

We're here to answer your top breastfeeding questions with Dr. Sarah Sobik, outpatient breastfeeding medicine specialist at Arkansas Children's.

It's Migraine Awareness Month and we're asking Dr. Joe Elser, pediatrician and pediatric headache management specialist, what parents need to know about kids and migraines. What is a migraine? What are the symptoms of headaches vs. migraines? What can be done to relieve symptoms?

Join us as we take a deep dive into fetal echocardiograms (fetal echo) with Dr. Elijah Bolin, Pediatric Cardiologist at Arkansas Children's Hospital. A fetal echocardiogram is a highly specialized type of prenatal ultrasound. This type of imaging study is performed to evaluate the structure of the heart of the unborn child. We discuss how a fetal echo is performed, what conditions it can diagnose in your baby, what patients it is essential for, and hear Dr. Bolin talk about real scenarios where fetal echo's catch cardiovascular conditions before birth..

The weather is warming up and kids want to spend more time outdoors.  Along with the beauty of spring, come seasonal allergies. Tree pollen, grass pollen, weeds, mold, and more will all meet your little ones outside. Dr. Matthew Bell, Pediatric Allergy/Immunology, joins us to share his tips on minimizing the effects of seasonal allergies in kids with and without using medicine. We discuss what symptoms to look for in seasonal allergies. He gives an in depth review of which allergy medications work best for each symptom, and tells us one medication to throw in the trash immediately. 

We talk with Dr. Jessica Snowden, Division Chief, Pediatric Infectious Disease to get an update on the COVID-19 Omicron variant. Why is Omicron different?  What are the symptoms and how to stay safe? When should a child return to school after having symptoms? We answer all these questions and more.

Join us as we talk with Christopher Manbeck, MD about Tourette Syndrome. What is Tourette Syndrome? What are Tics? Why do Tics happen? What is Tourette's effect on kids and their self esteem? Learn about the Tourette Clinic at Arkansas Children's, the only pediatric Tourette Syndrome focused program in the state. The Arkansas Children's Tourette's Clinic includes a Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) program with a CBIT certified therapist.

We talk with Dr. Joana Mack about types of Vascular Anomalies, how the nationally renowned team at Arkansas Children's are bringing next-level treatments to patients, and how mental health, confidence, and self-esteem can also be affected. 

The Vascular Anomalies Center at Arkansas Children’s is recognized as a leading center committed to providing expert care of infants, children and adults with vascular anomalies. That’s why parents from all over the United States and other parts of the world entrust their children with our team of specialists. We provide great outcomes, outpatient focus (reduced length of stay), telemedicine, international reputation, leaders in the field, and clinical trials.

It's not something most parents worry about, but happens more than you may think. It is possible for children to get kidney stones. Join us as we talk with Dr. Rachel Millner about how common kidney stones are in children, how parents can help prevent them, what symptoms to look for and when to see your pediatrician.

Bone marrow transplants and cellular therapies are critical, life saving procedures.  Dr. Arunkumar Modi, Director of the Bone Marrow Transplant  and Cellular Therapy program at Arkansas Children's explains how these treatments work in the body,  what a patient and donor can expect during the transplant process, and talks about building a Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy program at Arkansas Children's.

At any given time, more than 250 patients are being treated for cancer or blood disorders at Arkansas Children's.  Arkansas Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Program is the only pediatric cancer treatment program in the state. www.archildrens.org

Most of the time when you are sick, you can go to store and pick up something at the counter to make you feel better, but in some cases we have patients that need more precise treatment.  At Arkansas Children's we have precision medicine, which is a personalized test to help guide treatment for your child.  Today we sit down with Ashley Chastain, Mom of Harper.  Harper has gone through our precision medicine testing.  Ashley shares her and Harper's journey with Precision Medicine and how it has impacted her and her family for the better. After talking with Ashley we sit down with Dr. Brad Schaefer, Professor of Genetics and Pediatrics at Arkansas Children's. Dr. Schaefer gives us the medical side of Precision Medicine and its benefits.

It's Volunteer Week and at Arkansas Children's we know how important our volunteers are in helping kids be better today and healthier tomorrow. In this episode we sit down with Fant and Carol, two of our longest serving volunteers at Arkansas Children's, to discuss their passion for volunteering, the impact COVID-19 had, and the special calling that volunteers feel, especially at a childrens hospital.

Organ Donation save lives. In this episode of the Live, Learn and Play podcast we sit down with Elementary School teacher and Jacob's Mom, Holly Trucks. Holly shares Jacob's story, from having kidney disease at birth, his journey with Arkansas Children's, and flourishing in life as an ever growing and curious kid; all made possible by the unbelievable sacrifice and donation from his most loving supporter, his Mom.

The power of play can help heal a child. In this episode of the pod we talk with Brianna Shannon and Sarah Frantz, two child life specialists at Arkansas Children's, about the importance of being a child life specialist,  normalization in the hospital, discuss coping methods, and explore all the facets of the Child Life Department!

"They always said I had a 99% chance of dying, so to give life 110% chance now" says our next guest on the Live, Learn and Play podcast. For our special heart month episode, teenager Camden Tucker sits down to discuss her multiple heart surgeries at Arkansas Children's, the special care her and her family have received, and how she is using art to give back to children who need it most. 

How are you guys doing? What are you doing to handle the stresses of the pandemic and how are you talking your kids? We know that there has been a intense focus on the mental health of kids, parents, patients, and healthcare workers during the last year.  In this episode of the Live Learn & Play podcast we sit down with Social Worker and Program Director of Good Mourning at Arkansas Children's, Greg Adams, to discuss mental health during COVID-19, advice and mental health resources for families and kids, and how in an imperfect world we can strive doing good for ourselves and others.  

Resource Information
Arkansas Children's Support Group information: www.goodmourningcenter.org 
Arkansas Children's Behavioral Health Line: 501-364-4411
National Suicide Lifeline:  CALL 1(800)-273-8255 or TEXT 741-741

Masks, Social Distancing, COVID-19.  The year that was 2020.  Patients and families taking ever precaution to keep themselves and their kiddos safe.  Healthcare workers, nurses, and doctors putting themselves on the front line and sacrificing their own health for those in their care.  On today's Live, Learn and Play podcast we talk with nurse superhero Amanda Andrews.  You may remember Amanda from our Instagram story featuring Arkansas Children's nurses who went to New York City to help with one of the early outbreaks of the pandemic. Amanda discusses her nursing experience on the front lines in New York, what she learned, and offers a look back to where we where in 2020 and the hope and optimism going into the new year.

The holidays are a joyous time of year. There's always a lot of anticipation. Getting or giving the right gift, cooking, shopping, etc.  You're opening presents, you're spending time with family, you're putting ornaments on the tree while White Christmas plays through your cozy home. But for the McFerron family and their little daughter Genevieve, the anticipation wasn't a present wrapped under a tree, it was waiting for a phone call.

In life, taking the first steps can be the hardest, but with love and support from people like our next guest, putting one foot in front of the other becomes a mission.  On today's episode of the Live, Learn and Play Podcast, we sit down with Carrie Andrews, Jayden's Mom, to discuss his adoption, challenges and successes, and the strength from being in a wheelchair all day to walking and talking a mile a minute.  

Proton Therapy, Targeted Therapy, and innovations in Pediatric Cancer! September is Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month so join us on LL&P as we sit down with Dr. Joanna Mack of Hematology/Oncology at Arkansas Children's to discuss exciting and emerging tech and ways to support the brave kids fighting and beating cancer!

Going back to school, especially during a pandemic is stressful for kids and parents. We talk with Marisha DiCarlo, VP of Community Engagement,Advocacy, Health and Hope Mullins, Director of the Injury Prevention Center at Arkansas Children's about ways to keep your kids safe when going back to school. We cover physical safety with COVID-19 and school transportation, mental health and signs that your child may be struggling, as well as online safety and trends to be aware of when using the internet. 

Going into a 20 week ultrasound can be exciting, scary, and everything in between. But imagine hearing the news that your unborn child has something wrong with his spine, and that something is Spina Bifida.  On this episode of the Live, Learn, and Play Podcast, we sit down with Arkansas Children's Ambassador Evan Lee and his Mom Amanda as they recount stories from Evan's diagnosis, his ambassadorship at Arkansas Children's, and his medical journey into adolescence.

Here at Arkansas Children's we know that one size definitely doesn't fit all when it comes to your child, which is why the Pediatric Sedation Team is so dedicated to providing right sized care in a safe and compassionate way. On this episode of the Live, Learn, and Play Podcast, we talk to Dana Thomas, RN III on the Pediatric Sedation team as she describes the Pediatric Sedation program at Arkansas Children's Hospital and how beneficial it is for kids and families of Arkansas and beyond.  Please do not delay care.  Arkansas Children's is ready to see you now.

What are the psychological effects on children during the COVID-19 outbreak? We sit down with Dr. Karen Farst, Medical Director for Children at Risk, and Dr. Nicholas Long, pediatric psychologist at Arkansas Children's to discuss how to best handle the mental and physical stresses for you and your children during this unprecedented time. We also discussed the potential for an increase in child abuse cases in the state due to families being at home more during this time.  We are also so grateful to all of healthcare workers who are on the frontlines and who continue to be heroes for the patients and families they are treating.  We are so thankful for you...more than ever.

Pediatric Hospitalist Dr. Rebecca Cantu joins the podcast to discuss COVID-19, where it started, how it spreads and ways to keep you and your family safe during the COVID-19 outbreak.

When we think of comic books, we think of the typical things.  Soaring through the air, the capes, the symbols, beating the bad guy.  You know, superhero stuff.  But for the kids at Arkansas Children's their superpowers are even more page turning and for some cardiac patients the symbol on their chest makes them a superhero come to life.  On this episode on the Live Learn and Play Podcast we talk with Adam Cherepski, Alex's Dad, about Alex's origin story and how he's using his powers for good.