Link for CME Credit Coming Soon! In this episode of Pediatrics Now with Host Holly Wayment, Dr. Cynthia Blanco discusses the recent FDA approval of goat milk–based infant formula in the U.S., how it compares to cow’s milk formula, and what pediatricians should know about nutrient composition, allergy management, and clinical scenarios. She reviews evidence on tolerability, digestibility, and common misconceptions, emphasizes the importance of breastfeeding, and offers practical counseling strategies for families considering goat milk formula.

Link for CME Credit Coming Soon!

Dr. Sheldon Gross explains how evaluation and management of tics and Tourette's syndrome, when to refer to neurology or psychiatry, and practical steps for families and schools. He emphasizes the power of a thorough history, behavioral therapies like CBIT, thoughtful medication use, and lifestyle factors such as sleep and stress. We also delve into when psychiatry and neurology in general overlap.

The episode also covers related conditions—PANDAS/PANS, autoimmune encephalitis, functional neurological disorders, and seizures—highlighting collaboration between specialties and offering reassurance about prognosis for most children.

Holly Wayment talks with Dr. Sheldon Gross about how to tell tics from twitches, common causes and triggers (stress, stimulants, sleep), and simple first steps families and pediatricians can take to reduce symptoms without medication.

They review Tourette’s criteria, behavioral approaches like CBIT, medication options (guanfacine, clonidine, antipsychotics, topiramate), red flags for seizures or other neurological causes, and the overlap between neurological and psychiatric conditions.

Link for CME credit coming soon!

Dr. Avinash Boddapati joins Pediatrics Now and builds on the wonderful talk by Dr. Mario Fierro in part one, to explain more about what we know—and don’t—about the causes of autism, highlighting that autism is multifactorial and involves genetics, brain biology, and environmental influences.

He covers early red flags, genetic risk and testing, maternal and prenatal factors, common misconceptions (including vaccines), and promising research directions like gene–environment interactions and epigenetics.

Key takeaways for pediatric clinicians: counsel families without blame, prioritize early identification and intervention, and weigh risks and benefits when discussing exposures during pregnancy.

Link for CME Credit:

https://cmetracker.net/UTHSCSA/Publisher?page=pubOpen#/getCertificate/10101120

Host Holly Wayment and the Department of Pediatrics bring us a recent grand rounds talk by Dr. Mario Fierro where he reviews how autism is defined under DSM‑5, explains core diagnostic areas (social/communication deficits and restricted/repetitive behaviors), and emphasizes age‑based interpretation and the spectrum of severity.

He covers screening (M‑CHAT), standardized assessments (ADOS, CARS), common comorbidities and risk factors (genetics, prematurity, congenital conditions), and practical considerations for clinicians and families.

He also discusses treatment options—speech/OT, ABA, FDA‑approved medications for symptoms—reviews alternative therapies and controversies (including leucovorin research and vaccine myths), and offers pragmatic advice on when to refer and focus on functional communication.

Drs. Ruby Patel and Rajdeep Pooni present Grand Rounds using a 12-year-old case to illustrate pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus and class IV lupus nephritis, covering presentation, biopsy findings, and pathology. The talk explains diagnostic criteria and typical lab features.

They summarize current management including 2024 ACR guidance on induction therapies (steroids, mycophenolate, cyclophosphamide, and biologics), monitoring for complications and medication side effects, vaccination precautions for immunocompromised patients, and the pediatrician’s role in long-term coordination of care.

Link for CME Credit:

https://cmetracker.net/UTHSCSA/Publisher?page=pubOpen#/getCertificate/10101115

Host and Executive Producer Holly Wayment interviews Jacklynn Ware , MPH, CHES about Project YES, a free anonymous online mental health program that’s back, redesigned and improved for 13–17-year-olds to offer short, teen-focused modules to boost mood, reframe negative thoughts, and provide safety resources. And, yes, that includes an adorable video of a porcupine chomping on a pumpkin.

The episode explains who can benefit, how the program is youth-informed and evidence-based, and how it can be used immediately as a low-pressure, much needed resource.

Seizures in Kids — Practical Diagnosis, Treatments, and When to Refer

https://cmetracker.net/UTHSCSA/Publisher?page=pubOpen#/getCertificate/10101013

Host Holly Wayment brings us this wonderful grand rounds talk for the general pediatrician by pediatric neurologist Dr. Natasha Varughese, where she reviews childhood epilepsy syndromes (ages ~3–15), covering self-limited epilepsies, focal and generalized epilepsies, and developmental epileptic encephalopathies. Key diagnostic tools include EEG, MRI, and genetic testing; prognosis varies widely by syndrome.

The talk highlights practical management: appropriate antiseizure medications (and which to avoid), indications for ketogenic diet, when to consider surgery or neuromodulation (VNS, RNS), and warning signs for referral to neurology or epilepsy specialists.