Advertise on podcast: The Pediatrician Next Door - Simple Advice on Parenting and Family Health

Does special education make a difference and what’s at risk right now? From IEPs and 504 plans to chronic underfunding and growing legal challenges, millions of students rely on this system—but few understand.  Education researcher Kimber Wilkerson explains how special education has expanded access to schooling over the past 50 years, and why it remains underfunded. We also explore what it would mean for students if protections like Section 504 were weakened—and how shortages of special education teachers are already straining the system from the inside.  Special education isn’t perfect—and we don’t fully know how much it changes outcomes—but what happens if we lose it anyway?      Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your child’s stomach hurts every day. You’ve tried diet changes. You’ve done the tests. Everything comes back normal—and the pain is still there!  Discover the new science of Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction; why food gets blamed when it isn’t the cause, and how the nervous system can cause digestive symptoms. Hear about the surprising treatment that helps many kids feel better.  If you’ve ever felt stuck, dismissed, or desperate for answers about your child’s stomach pain, this episode offers clarity, hope, and a new way forward.      Find Dr. Ali Navidi at GIPsychology.com    Shop for Begin Health Growing Up Prebiotics with 25% off first subscription. Use code DOCTORWENDY25   Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can a 14-year-old have a “career-ending” injury? Can an ACL tear affect a child for decades? Youth sports culture rarely talks about the long-term cost.  Why are serious sports injuries—especially knee injuries like ACL tears—becoming more common in kids and teens? Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Matt Tao breaks down what’s really driving these injuries: early specialization, overuse, playing through pain, and rushing recovery.  Most importantly, this episode shifts the focus from getting kids back in the game to protecting their long-term health—so they can grow into adults who still love movement, activity, and sports.  If you’re a parent of a young athlete, this is a must-listen before the next season starts.  Find a National Strength and Conditioning Association certified coach.    Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have updates to the vaccine schedule made you pause? In this encore episode, pediatrician Wendy Hunter, MD addresses vaccine hesitancy, answering the same questions she hears every day in the exam room. Why are vaccines given when they are? Are they safe? What happens when families delay or skip them? Listen if you want to feel confident about protecting your kids.      Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are kids really sicker than before? Are screens hurting our kids more than we realize? And did we miss something important about anxiety, vaccines, or environmental exposures in 2025?  Episode 147 looks back at the biggest children’s health headlines of the year—and explains what we got wrong, what the science clarified, and what truly matters going forward.  If you’ve felt overwhelmed by headlines or worried you might be missing something important, this episode is your calm, evidence-based reset for the new year.      Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is your child nice when you’re not watching? Kids make social choices every day without adults around. Family therapist Dr. Erika Bockneck (host of Raising Souls: A Convo Podcast) explores how kids learn social cues, internalize family values, and balance fitting in with staying true to themselves—so they can make good choices on their own.    Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why does giving feels so good for both kids and parents? Giving isn’t just about presents— generosity changes the brain! Learn how to make the most out of this season and how gift-giving helps kids develop empathy, gratitude, and emotional intelligence.        Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is your child’s snoring just a funny nighttime sound—or a sign of something more?  Learn why kids snore, why mouth breathing and restless sleep aren’t just quirks, and how snoring can affect behavior, focus, and even facial growth!  Join Dr. Shereen Lim, dentist and author of Breathe, Sleep, Thrive, who explains how airway and muscle development shape a child’s sleep and health. Uncover the red flags parents often overlook, learn when to seek help, and what treatments can get your child breathing—and thriving—again.    Read Breathe, Sleep Thrive by Dr. Shereen Lim.     This episode is made possible by our sponsor Cure Hydration. Get 20% off your first order at ⁠⁠curehydration.com/⁠⁠DRWENDY with code DRWENDY.    Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to make mealtime healthier and yummier? You know that avocado oil, fish, and kale are packed with nutrients—but getting kids to actually eat them? That’s the tricky part! In this encore episode, Chef Kelly Senyei reveals her favorite secret ingredient—one that’s affordable, boosts protein and calcium, and works in everything from pancakes to bolognese.     Mentioned in episode:  Serenity Kids Salmon and other pouches  The Best Creamy Coconut Rice Recipe at Justataste.com    This episode is made possible by our sponsor Cure Hydration. Get 20% off your first order at ⁠⁠curehydration.com/⁠⁠DRWENDY with code DRWENDY.    Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why does your calm, reasonable self disappear when your child refuses to put on their shoes? Therapist Todd Sarner answers Dr. Wendy’s questions about why kids seem to know exactly how to push our buttons—and why it’s not about defiance at all. Discover why common discipline tactics don’t work, and what to do instead. Learn how to reset after a blow-up, and get back on the same page with your partner—no sticker charts required.  Buy Todd Sarner's Book: The Calm and Connected Parent  This episode is made possible by our sponsor Cure Hydration. Get 20% off your first order at ⁠⁠curehydration.com/⁠⁠DRWENDY with code DRWENDY.  Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when kids don’t get sex ed in school? They don’t just “figure it out”—they pick up myths, rumors, and advice on social media. What they learn matters for their safety and relationships.  How can parents help guide an appropriate education?   Use trusted resources like:   National Sex Education Standards  Advocates for Youth - Rights Respect, Responsibilities Curriculum  Planned Parenthood’s Parent Resources  Listen: Ep. 113: The “Private Parts” Episode or Ep. 46: Talking About Sex and Privacy    Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    This episode is made possible by our sponsor Cure Hydration. Get 20% off your first order at ⁠curehydration.com/⁠DRWENDY with code DRWENDY.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:  Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Smart toys can talk and even remember what kids say—but what’s that doing inside a child’s developing brain? Artificial intelligence may be shaping children’s language, emotions, and relationships. With guest expert Dana Suskind, MD, a leading researcher on early brain development, learn how real human interaction wires a child’s mind—and what might be lost when those conversations happen with a machine instead of a person.     Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    This episode is made possible by our sponsor Cure Hydration. Get 20% off your first order at ⁠curehydration.com/⁠DRWENDY with code DRWENDY.  More from The Pediatrician Next Door:  Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s scarier than ghosts and goblins? The medical mysteries that hide in plain sight. In this year’s Halloween special, hear three true stories that sound like ghost tales but come straight from the pediatric ward.  Each story unfolds like a mystery, with clues, red herrings, and real-life science behind the scares.  Listen if you dare… and see if you can solve the cases before Dr. Wendy reveals the truth.  This episode is made possible by our sponsor Cure Hydration. Get 20% off your first order at curehydration.com/DRWENDY with code DRWENDY.    Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you ever feel like you’re tiptoeing around your child—careful with every word, changing plans, and doing whatever it takes to avoid a meltdown? You’re not alone. In this episode, Dr. Wendy Hunter explores whether “walking on eggshells” really helps anxious kids—or if it accidentally makes anxiety stronger. With insight from pediatrician Dr. Natasha Burgert, author of Managing Childhood Anxiety for Dummies, you’ll learn why avoidance and constant reassurance backfire, which parenting styles help kids build resilience, and simple strategies to support your child with confidence at home.    Buy the Book! Managing Childhood Anxiety for Dummies by Natasha Burgert, MD, FAAP    This episode is made possible by our sponsor Cure Hydration. Get 20% off your first order at ⁠curehydration.com/⁠DRWENDY with code DRWENDY.    Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Think well visits are only for vaccines? Dr. Wendy asks why checkups still matter—even when no shots are due. From spotting hidden conditions like early puberty or high blood pressure, to giving kids a safe place to talk, well visits are about prevention, connection, and catching problems before they become emergencies. Have you schedule your annual visit?    Send your questions to [email protected] or message me online here.  Find products from the show on the shop page.   *As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.    More from The Pediatrician Next Door:    Website: Pediatrician Next Door Podcast  Instagram: @the_pediatrician_next_door  Facebook: facebook.com/wendy.l.hunter.75  TikTok: @drwendyhunter  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drwendyhunter    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices