Alabama Pediatrician: Conversations & Information for Your Practice

We've talked about infant formula and their nutritional value, but what about breastmilk?? Dietitian Desiree Walker returns to share more about breastmilk and its importance, as well as how mother's diet is important in breastfeeding too! 

Check out AAP resources and information on breastfeeding: click here. 

More AAP Resources and tools on breastfeeding: click here. 

Parental info from Healthy Children on breastfeeding: click here. 

CDC Recommendations and info on breastfeeding: click here.

Support for mothers on the American Pregnancy Assoc: click here. 

Meet Reach Out and Read-AL's updated staff and check out its updates and don't forget to continue supporting Reach Out and Read's mission!

Check out ROR-AL's End of Year Campaign: click here. 

Check out the infographic on new site startup: click here. 

For more info on new site training: click here. 

Follow Reach Out and Read-Alabama on:

- Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RORAlabama

- Instagram https://www.instagram.com/reachoutandreadalabama/

- Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/company/reach-out-and-read-alabama/

- YouTube https://www...

Live from the AL AAP 2026 Annual Meeting! Meet Dr. Elizabeth Dawson, our new AL Chapter Vice President/President-Elect, and learn more about her non-profit, the Troy Resilience Project, and how it uses trauma informed care to help her community! Also, Dr. Dawson educates us on AAP CATCH Grants and tips to applying for one! 

Back for part 2 of our Practice Management 101 with Dr. Katrina Skinner and Chip Hart, who run Pediatric CEO and use all their expertise in running a private practice and work with medical EMR and multiple pediatric practices across the country! 

Check out the AL AAP Practice Management Association: click here. 

Check out the National AAP Practice Management resources: click here. 

Check out Pediatric CEO Intensive 2026: click here.

Are you maximizing your practice's potential? Pediatric CEO's Dr. Katrina Skinner and Chip Hart lead this 2 part series to answer this question and share other tips on how to run a successful pediatric practice and make sure you're working with the right people! It's an intense rundown!

For more information on AL AAP's Practice Management Association: click here. 

For the National AAP's Practice Management resources: click here. 

For information on Pediatric CEO: click here. 

Oh, the process of becoming a certified pediatrician and maintaining that certification! Dr. Keith Mann, the Vice President of Continuing Certification for the American Board of Pediatrics, enlightens us on the different parts of Pediatric certification, updates to the ABP, and how to optimize our work and credits!

For more information on the American Board of Pediatrics: click here. 

For more information from the American Board of Medical Specialities: click here. 

We have a most inspiring and amazing talk today! Joining us is Swapna Kakani, MPH, who is a health care reformer, motivational speaker, patient advocate, and researcher of rare diseases and patient care, to name a few! She shares her life and medical experiences as someone born with a congenital defect that has required her to overcome many adversities and how that has affected her passions and her work. 

For more information on Swapna: click here.

For more information on Alabama Rare: click here.

Check out the Gutsy Prospective: click here. 

Ch...

Lots of new things happening in pediatric diabetes! Joining us today to share some updates and some real life tips and triage in managing diabetes is Dr. Brittany Bruggeman, pediatric endocrinologist at the University of Florida and a huge advocator for people with diabetes! 

Check out this Healthy Children article on pediatric diabetes: click here. 

Check out the American Diabetes Association's standard of care for children with diabetes: click here. 

Check out this statement on monitoring kids with pre-clinical diabetes: click here. 

For more info on Type I Diabetes screening: click here...

As vaccine hesitancy continues to increase with lower vaccination rates, we as pediatric medical providers and physicians could see resurgences of diseases that haven't been seen in decades. Mr. Vann Griffith, a long time AL native and childhood poliovirus survivor, shares stories and memories of his experiences dealing with polio and its complications, as well as other anecdotes and wisdom. 

For more information and resources on immunizations from the AAP: click here. 

For resources for families on immunizations from Healthy Children: click here. 

Dr. John Bridges returns to talk about his family's journey in navigating having a deaf child. Learn about the the proper etiquette to help those with hearing differences and also so many helpful resources for families and for fellow pediatricians!

Read this article from the Academy of Audiology: click here. 

Check out AL Early Intervention: click here. 

Check out the AL Institute for Deaf and Blind: click here. 

Learn more about Hands and Voices: click here. 

Learn more about the Woolley Institute for Spoken Language Education (WISE): click here. 

...

Congenital Cytomegalovirus: typically a benign and mild illness but the most common infectious cause of birth defects. Today Dr. Shannon Ross of Children's of AL's Pediatric Infectious Disease talks with us about recommendations for CMV testing, treatment and more!

For more information on Congenital CMV: click here. 

For resources from the National CMV Foundation: click here. 

Desiree Walker, an Alabama pediatric dietitian, joins us to talk about the new term "faltering growth" and how she recommends approaching it in infants! She also discusses all the different formulas and how to choose the best one for your little one!

Resources for pediatricians:

- CDC formula recommendations: click here. 

- AAP Update on Pediatric formula: click here. 

- AAP Resources on childhood nutrition: click here.

- North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition: click here.

-  Peditools: click here.

Resources for fam...

Dr. Carmen Tong, a pediatric urologist at Children's of Alabama, discusses some common urologic issues in the newborn to toddler ages. 

Disclaimer: We will be using accurate medical, physiologic and anatomical terminology and because we will be talking about the genitourinary system, this may be sensitive for the general and younger audiences. 

For more information on cryptorchidism: click here. 

For AAP Peds in Review on hypospadias, epispadias and cryptorchidism: click here

For info on ureteroceles: click here.

For info on labial adhesions: click here. 

Thank you to our...

Our new Executive Director, Sabra Sutton, and our Reach Out and Read - AL's Communication Specialist, Salina Sowell, join us today to share some updates, as well as some upcoming events and opportunities!

For info on the upcoming webcast on measles with Dr. Kimberlin and the AL Department of Public Health June 9th @ 12:15pm : click here. 

To watch the video by the Medical Association of the State of AL concerning hantavirus (as of May 12th): click here. 

To register your practice in Reach Out and Read - AL: click here. 

Check out...

Welcome back Dr. Shannon Ross of Children's of AL's Infectious Disease Department to talk about best practices on antibiotic stewardship for the most common pediatric bacterial infections!

Check out this AAP article: click here.

Check out these AAP resources on antibiotic stewardship: click here. 

Check out the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society's Antibiotic Stewardship Program Toolkit for more resources and information: click here. 

All you need to know about pediatric tuberculosis! Dr. Wes Stubblefield with the AL Dept of Public Health and Dr. Claudette Poole with Children's of AL's pediatric infectious disease department join to share all about tuberculosis, from microbiology to treatment, public health response and more!

For more information on pediatric tuberculosis: click this AAP article.

For more info from the AL Department of Public Health: click here. 

Chief Operating Officer of Feeding Alabama, Kim Lawkis, joins us today to share about this wonderful organization and its resources, including the CARES program and the hunger vital signs screening, and what to do when your patients and families have food insecurity. 

For more information on Feeding Alabama: click here. 

For more information on the CARES program: click here. 

Check out more about the Hunger Vital Sign screening: click here. 

For those outside of AL, check out Feeding America: click here. 

Let's gear up for this year's Reach Out and Read- Alabama's Grand Pediatric Pentathlon at our AL AAP Spring Meeting, April 16-18 at Gulf Shores! Our Reach Out and Read Communications Specialist Salina Sowell joins us today with All About Books' Sarah Pelkey! Come join us and support Reach Out and Read Alabama!

To register for the AL AAP Spring Meeting and Grand Pediatric Pentathlon: click here. 

To register for the virtual Grand Pediatric Pentathlon: click here. 

Stay up to date on Grand Pediatric Pentathlon information: click here. 

Thank you to our...

Join us today as our Chapter's Mental Health Champions, Dr. Shawn Cecil and Dr. Madeleine Blancher, talk about all the mental health resources the Chapter has to offer for pediatricians and families, as well as tips in talking and guiding families. This is an episode you don't want to miss!

Check out the Healthy Mental Development Resources: click here. 

Check out the AL AAP's Suicide Prevention Resources: click here. 

For more mental health resources and info from the National AAP: click here. 

Thank you to our sponsor for this episode, the Chi...

Last month many of our AL AAP Chapter members visited our State Capitol for Legislative Day! I was fortunate enough to have the chance to sit with Representative Ed Oliver and chat over some of the inside scoop of Legislation and get advocacy tips! Bonus: Representative Oliver is one of our Chapter's Graham Champion Legislative Hero award winners and I can see why!

Be sure to join Legislative Day next year!!

Thank you to our sponsor, the AL Dept. of Public Health, Immunization Division! For more information: click here. 

Join us in this momentous occasion as we celebrate 20 years of Reach Out and Read-Alabama! Listen as Dr. Marsha Raulerson shares the origins of this program and as Salina Sowell gives us program updates and what we can look forward to this milestone year! Joining us also is Dr. Sara Smith T, who is a big pediatric champion for ROR-AL!

To apply to become a Reach Out and Read-Alabama site
https://www.myror.org/

Follow Reach Out and Read-Alabama on social media

Facebook -- RORAlabama (https://www.facebook.com/RORAlabama)<...

Listen in on some AL AAP Chapter updates and join us as we say farewell to Linda Lee as she retires and help us welcome Sabra Sutton as our new Executive Director! 

For more information on the AL Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics: click here. 

Chapter members, don't forget to submit your vaccine-friendly video for a chance to win free registration to the Spring meeting: click here. Use #provenprotectionaapapproved

To register for the Spring Meeting in Gulf Shores: click here. 

Thank you to our episode sponsor, the...

It's Legislative Session time, time to advocate for our patients to our elected officials! Joining us today are Dr. Nola Ernest, our Chapter's Legislative Chair, and former Representative, Jay Love, who is our AL AAP's lobbyist! Get a crash course on how a bill becomes a law, tips on talking to legislators, and what the Chapter's agenda this year includes! 

To find out who your local officials are: click here. 

For more AL AAP info on legislative advocacy: click here. 

Alabama pediatric legend and AL-AAP's first Afro-American President, Dr. A.Z. Holloway, shares about his experiences growing up and as a Black pediatrician in Alabama, how healthcare and health disparities have changed through the years and more. This is truly an episode that will inspire more conversations on social and health inequities, as well as how we as pediatricians can advocate for and support our patients and their families. 

Discover the PATHS Program from the Children's of AL's Behavioral Health Department and all the resources it provides to pediatric providers across the state! From tele-mental services to didactic lectures and more, the PATHS Director, Margo Harwell shares how great this program is! 

For more information on the PATHS Program: click here. 

For more information on COA's Behavioral Health Services: click here. 

To contact Margo Harwell: [email protected] or 205-638-5673. 

Join us as pediatric infectious disease Dr. Shannon Ross of COA talks about the importance of antibiotic stewardship, the impact of antibiotic resistance, and how to approach good antibiotic practices and more! 

Check out the AAP Statement on antibiotic stewardship: click here.

For AAP resources on antibiotic stewardship: click here. 

For more information on the Children's of AL antibiotic stewardship program and their antibiogram:

Our friends from our favorite non-profit Reach Out and Read - Alabama are here to share how this year has been in terms of grants, sponsorships, successes, experiences, and more! Reach Out and Read provides books to children at well child checks, not just to support childhood literacy, but to provide building blocks in the foundation of relational health for children and family, as well as for pediatric providers and their patients!! With your help, more books (all development and age appropriate) will reach the hands of children everywhere!

To learn more about Reach Out and Read...

Pediatric Rheumatologist Dr. John Bridges at Children's of AL joins us today to answer the question of, "What exactly is a rheumatologist?" He shares what history and exam findings are concerning for a pediatric rheumatologic issue, what labs to get, when to refer, and more! 

For more information on COA peds rheum: click here. 

Check out resources from Rheum for Primary Care: click here. 

For other information from the American College of Rheumatology (ACOR): click here. 

For more information and resources from the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alli...

Our Executive Director Linda Lee is joining us to give Chapter updates!

Check out the Firearm Injury Prevention Virtual Symposium: click here. 

Check out Pages Over Pixels: click here. 

For Healthy Mental Developmental Resources: click here. 

For more information on HR-1 updates from AAP: click here. 

To contact Linda Lee for feedback on Practice Management sessions and any legislative interests: [email protected]

Dates to remember: 

- AL AAP Legislative Day: February 4, 2026

- AL AAP Spring Meeting: April 16-19, 2026

- AL AAP F...

We have a great panel today! Dr. Keri Read, Dr. Marquisha Jarmon, and Dr. Katie Fogle join us to talk about some highlights of the 2025 AL AAP Fall and Annual Meeting! There were some great talks, resources, and people at this meeting so make sure you join us in the future!!

Newborn nursery.. a happy and exciting place to work but can also be nerve-wracking with these sweet babies! Dr. DeeAnne Jackson joins to talk more about the Early Onset Sepsis (EOS) Protocol and the EOS Calculator! 

For the EOS Calculator: click here. 

Check out the AAP's article on the update to the EOS Calculator: click here. 

Check out this article on EOS Calculator from the American Journal of Perinatalogy: click here. 

Check out CDC's epidemiology info on EOS: click here. 

Dr. Nick CaJacob joins us today to talk about everything EOE! Learn about the different presentations based on age, diagnosis, treatment and more!

To learn more about EOE, check out this free article: click here. 

Also check out this article!: click here. 

Check out the website for American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED): click here. 

Learn more about Children's of AL's GI Eosinophilic Disorders Clinic: click here. 

For more information on Children's of AL's Aerodigestive Clinic: click here. 

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, the AL Department of Pu...

I literally brought the podcast to the 2025 AL AAP Annual/Fall Meeting this weekend with Open Mic Time! Get to know a little more about some of the attendees and guests with some fun questions they had to draw from a bowl! Because these were live recordings, there may be a little buzz or background noise but I hope you are still able to enjoy the episode and get to know some  awesome pediatric people I got to hang out with! 

Don't skip this episode! Dr. Yameika Head shares why acknowledging physician burn out is important and how it affects not just pediatricians, but the healthcare system and our society. How can we do better and how can we help ourselves and others? Listen in!

Maslach Burnout Inventory Survey: click here. 

Check out Past-AAP President, Dr. Sandy Chung's letter on physician burnout: click here. 

Info on Physician Burnout from the American Medical Association: click here. 

Get to know University of South Alabama's new Pediatric Interim Chair, Dr. Benjamin Estrada! We talk about what's going on in infectious disease, as well as what Dr. Estrada looks forward to in his new role!

Got a topic you want to hear about? Let us know! 

Hearing loss is the most common birth defect so early newborn screening is important! Joining us today is AL Department of Public Health's Newborn Screening Nurse Supervisor, Mary Wigham! We'll learn about the newborn hearing screen, why it's important, the types of hearing screens, risk factors for congenital hearing loss and more! 

For more information from the AL Dept of Public Health: click here. 

For more information from the AAP on hearing screening: click here. 

For info on National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM): click here. 

For more information on H...

Check out another awesome resource in the state of Alabama! VitAL is here for everyone to help not only Alabamians struggling with mental health, substance use, and trauma-related challenges, but also for those who love and care for them! Joining us today is Shanna McIntosh to tell us more!! 

To learn more about VitAL: click here. 

Check out the VitAL Annual Conference: click here. 

Don't forget to get the VitAL App and sign up for the newsletter!

What is mindfulness? Listen in as GA pediatrician and yogi, Dr. Michelle Kelly, educates us on mindfulness, its history and its benefits for medical providers and for our patients/families! 

Check out Healthy Children's info on meditation and mindfulness: click here. 

Check out this article from the Journal Medical Society of Psychiatry on mindfulness: click here. 

To contact Dr. Michelle Kelly: [email protected]

Thank you again to our sponsors, the AL Dept of Public Health's Immunization Division. Don't wait, vaccinate! For more info: click here. 

Mary Florian and Lindsey DeMarco of Help Me Grow share with us about this great resource for children, families/caretakers, and medical providers! They even bring a special AL AAP - renowned guest with them! 

For more information on Help Me Grow: click here. 

District Medical Officer for the ADPH, Dr. Wes Stubblefield, returns to share some updates from the AL Department of Public Health! From new initiatives, recent statistics, review of some of ADPH's resources and more! 

* Please note, this was recorded June 6th and does not cover any updates since then. 

For more information on HPV Communication Skills Training: click here. 

Report a notifiable disease with the ADPH: click here. 

ADPH Measles information site: click here. 

CDC Vaccine and Immunization site: click here. 

ADPH Home Page: click here. 

ADPH...