Host Holly Wayment and war correspondent Benjamin Hall discusses his New York Times bestselling books, his near-fatal injury while reporting in Ukraine, and the long recovery that followed. He shares how family, community, and inner strength drove his rehabilitation and inspired his children’s book about bravery and standing up for others.

Hall also offers practical advice for clinicians and families on communication, resilience, and supporting loved ones through trauma, and emphasizes the importance of taking action, staying connected, and finding hope.

Link for CME Credit Coming Soon!

Holly Wayment welcomes grand rounds speaker Dr. Maged Mina on chronic pediatric pain, presented by University Health’s Women’s and Children’s Hospital and UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Mina reviews his background in anesthesiology and pain management and his long-standing work with children.

The episode covers recognition and diagnosis of chronic pediatric pain (>3 months), common presentations (headaches, recurrent abdominal pain, musculoskeletal pain, CRPS, cancer- and sickle cell–related pain), and the importance of a multidisciplinary approach focused on functional restoration. Physical therapy (including aquatic therapy), behavioral therapies, hypnosis, acupuncture, and virtual reality are emphasized alongside family collaboration and school reintegration.

Pharmacologic and interventional options are presented as adjuncts: basic analgesics, gabapentinoids, tricyclics, melatonin, cautious opioid use when necessary, and procedures such as nerve blocks, epidural catheters, Botox, and emerging neuromodulation (peripheral nerve and dorsal root ganglion stimulation). Barriers such as cost, access, and the need for patience and team-based care are also highlighted.

Link for CME credit coming soon!

This episode follows Lisa and Craig Wilkerson as they share their son Ryan’s sudden, severe decline from sudden-onset OCD-like symptoms to full disability caused by PANS/PANDAS, and the family’s multi-year struggle to get proper medical care.

They describe repeated misdiagnoses, traumatic hospital experiences, and even CPS involvement, until Dr. Anthony Infante used specialized testing and prescribed IVIG immunotherapy. The treatment gradually restored Ryan’s sleep, hygiene, social life, and independence.

Listeners and viewers will hear clinical pearls about listening to families, considering autoimmune causes for acute neuropsychiatric changes, and the role of multidisciplinary care and targeted immune testing and treatment.

Link for free CME Credit

https://cmetracker.net/UTHSCSA/Publisher?page=pubOpen#/getCertificate/10101682

In this episode of Pediatrics Now, two experts present from the Advancing Cancer Research for Latinos conference on why children—especially Hispanic and Latino youth—are being left behind in pediatric cancer care. Adam De Smith, PhD, University of Southern California, reviews genetic and ancestral contributors to increased acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) risk in Latino populations, highlighting IKZF1 and polygenic risk patterns, ancient origins of risk alleles, and ongoing efforts to expand genomic studies across Latin America. Jenny Ruiz, MD, University of Pittsburgh, examines how language access and communication gaps affect pediatric cancer experiences and outcomes, presenting qualitative interviews and quantitative analyses showing higher acuity and ICU needs for Spanish-preferred patients, and calling for better interpreter services and multifaceted interventions.

Constipation and Abdominal Pain: What To Do and When To Worry

https://cmetracker.net/UTHSCSA/Publisher?page=pubOpen#/getCertificate/10101548

This episode explains how to distinguish functional constipation from organic causes in children, outlines the key red flags that require further workup or referral, and reviews evidence-based management including clean-outs, maintenance with polyethylene glycol (Miralax), dietary guidance, and when imaging or tests are appropriate.

Host Holly Wayment and Dr. Anandini Suri also discuss practical advice, toilet-training guidance, how to ensure medication adherence, and nonpharmacologic strategies like breathing and exercise for functional abdominal pain.

Adolescent Relationships in the Digital Age: Violence, Risk, and Prevention

Link for CME Credit:

https://cmetracker.net/UTHSCSA/Publisher?page=pubOpen#/getCertificate/10101483

Dr. Jeff Temple presents findings from the long-running longitudinal study tracking youth relationships, dating violence, mental health, substance use, firearms, and sexting from adolescence into adulthood. The episode highlights key findings such as the high cumulative prevalence of bidirectional dating violence, links between parental IPV and later perpetration, and the association between childhood corporal punishment and future dating violence.

The talk also covers sexting research showing harms mainly when non‑consensual or coerced, the addition of firearm measures after 2013, and the study’s strong retention and diverse sample. Dr. Temple discusses prevention, including the successful Fourth R relationship curriculum that reduced violence and long‑term depression, and the importance of continuing prevention into the 20s and across generations.

Imaging With Intention: Optimizing Care Through Collaboration in Diagnostic Radiology

Link for CME Credit:

https://cmetracker.net/UTHSCSA/Publisher?page=pubOpen#/getCertificate/10101474

Host and Executive Producer Holly Wayment and UT Health San Antonio's Department of Pediatrics bring us this Grand Rounds episode with Desi Schiess, MD, pediatric radiologist. This episode reviews evidence-based imaging choices, radiation considerations, and practical tips for ordering X‑ray, ultrasound, CT, MRI, fluoroscopy, and nuclear medicine in children. It includes case examples, a quiz, and guidance on when to consult a radiologist to ensure safe, effective pediatric imaging.

When to Worry: Neck Lumps, Bumps, and Enlarged Lymph Nodes in Kids

Link for CME Credit:

https://uthscsa.edu/medicine/education/cme/pediatrics-now-podcast

In this episode of Pediatrics Now, Host Holly Wayment and Pediatric Oncologist Dr. Shafqat Shah discuss how clinicians should evaluate new lumps, bumps, and enlarged lymph nodes in children, adolescents, and young adults. Dr. Shah explains features that suggest reactive vs. malignant nodes, when to observe versus order imaging or labs, when to biopsy, and considerations about steroids, infections like cat scratch disease, and transitioning care for young adults.

Dr. Shah's email address is: ShahS2@uthscsa.edu