Your Child is Normal: with Dr Jessica Hochman

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In this episode, Dr. Jessica Hochman welcomes back anxiety expert Lynn Lyons, to discuss how parents can help children navigate back-to-school anxiety.
Lynn explains why reassurance isn't always reassuring, why parents often talk too much when children are anxious, and how simple changes in our language can build confidence instead of fear. Together they discuss what to say when a child doesn't want to go to school, when anxiety becomes a reason to seek professional help, and why learning to tolerate uncertainty is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children.
Whether your child is starting kindergarten, changing schools, or simply feeling nervous about the first day, this conversation offers practical, reassuring advice you can use immediately.
Lynn Lyons is a psychotherapist, author, speaker, and one of the nation's leading experts on childhood anxiety. Be sure to check out her podcasts, Flusterclucks and Quarter-Life: Your 20s Are a Mother, for more practical advice on anxiety, parenting, and resilience.
Your Child is Normal is the trusted podcast for parents, pediatricians, and child health experts who want smart, nuanced conversations about raising healthy, resilient kids. Hosted by Dr. Jessica Hochman — a board-certified practicing pediatrician — the show combines evidence-based medicine, expert interviews, and real-world parenting advice to help listeners navigate everything from sleep struggles to mental health, nutrition, screen time, and more.

Follow Dr Jessica Hochman:
Instagram: @AskDrJessica and Tiktok @askdrjessica
YouTube: Ask Dr Jessica
Shop my favorite products for kids on Amazon here
If you are interested in placing an ad on Your Child Is Normal click here or fill out our interest form.

For a plant-based, USDA Organic certified vitamin supplement, check out : Llama Naturals Vitamin and use discount code: DRJESSICA20

To test your child's microbiome and get recommendations, check out:
Tiny Health using code: DRJESSICA 

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For years, many of us have assumed that toddlers are naturally picky—that children are simply born preferring bland foods, avoiding vegetables, and rejecting anything unfamiliar. But what if that's not actually true?
This week I'm joined by historian Helen Zoe Veit, author of Picky: How American Children Became the Fussiest Eaters in History. Together we explore how picky eating became so common, why children in previous generations—and in many cultures around the world—ate the same foods as adults, and what history can teach us about raising confident, adventurous eaters today. 
We discuss:
Why picky eating wasn't always considered "normal"
The surprising history behind children's menus and snack culture
Whether kids really have more sensitive taste buds
Why hunger between meals matters
The role of structure versus pressure at the dinner table
Why children around the world often eat the same foods as their parents
Practical ways parents can expand their child's palate without power struggles
This conversation is encouraging, evidence-informed, and full of practical ideas that may help make family meals less stressful—and a lot more enjoyable.
About Helen Zoe Veit
Helen Zoe Veit is an award-winning historian, writer, and professor of history at Michigan State University. She specializes in the history of food in America and is the director of the What America Ate project. She is the author of Picky: How American Children Became the Fussiest Eaters in History, which explores how modern ideas about children's eating developed—and what history suggests we can do differently today. 
Your Child is Normal is the trusted podcast for parents, pediatricians, and child health experts who want smart, nuanced conversations about raising healthy, resilient kids. Hosted by Dr. Jessica Hochman — a board-certified practicing pediatrician — the show combines evidence-based medicine, expert interviews, and real-world parenting advice to help listeners navigate everything from sleep struggles to mental health, nutrition, screen time, and more.

Follow Dr Jessica Hochman:
Instagram: @AskDrJessica and Tiktok @askdrjessica
YouTube: Ask Dr Jessica
Shop my favorite products for kids on Amazon here
If you are interested in placing an ad on Your Child Is Normal click here or fill out our interest form.

For a plant-based, USDA Organic certified vitamin supplement, check out : Llama Naturals Vitamin and use discount code: DRJESSICA20

To test your child's microbiome and get recommendations, check out:
Tiny Health using code: DRJESSICA 

The information ...

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What are the most common eye injuries in children—and how can parents help prevent them?
In this episode of Your Child Is Normal, Dr. Jessica Hochman sits down with Dr. Aaron Nagiel, pediatric retinal specialist and Chief of the Retina Division at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, to discuss children's eye health, vision safety, and the latest breakthroughs in retinal care.
Dr. Nagiel explains how the retina works, common retinal conditions seen in children, and the warning signs parents should never ignore. He shares real-world stories about sports injuries, Nerf gun accidents, and laser pointer injuries that can lead to permanent vision loss, while offering practical advice on prevention and eye protection.
They also discuss:
• Common eye injuries in children and how to prevent them
• When a red eye is concerning—and when it isn't
• Warning signs of retinal disease
• The role of screens, outdoor play, and dry eyes
• Why children should wear prescribed glasses consistently
• When eye symptoms warrant an urgent evaluation
• Exciting advances in gene therapy and the future of pediatric retinal care
This episode is packed with practical takeaways that can help parents recognize problems early, protect their children's vision, and know when to seek specialized care.
Dr. Aaron Nagiel is a pediatric retinal specialist at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and USC Roski Eye Institute, where he cares for children with retinal diseases, eye trauma, retinopathy of prematurity, and inherited retinal disorders. In collaboration with the Center for Personalized Medicine, he leads a state-of-the-art program specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of genetic eye disease, including gene therapy surgery.
Dr. Aaron Nagiel earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University summa cum laude, and then underwent combined MD and PhD training at Cornell University and The Rockefeller University in New York City. His PhD work was supported by an NIH fellowship and contributed to our understanding of how synapses form in the developing brain. After an internship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Dr. Nagiel completed both ophthalmology residency and vitreoretinal fellowship at the renowned Stein Eye Institute at UCLA.
To contact Dr Nagiel:
Please call 323-361-2347 or check out his website

Your Child is Normal is the trusted podcast for parents, pediatricians, and child health experts who want smart, nuanced conversations about raising healthy, resilient kids. Hosted by Dr. Jessica Hochman — a board-certified practicing pediatrician — the show combines evidence-based medicine, expert interviews, and real-world parenting advice to help listeners navigate everything from sleep struggles to mental health, nutrition, screen time, and more.

Follow Dr Jessica Hochman:
Instagram: @AskDrJessica and Tiktok @askdrjessica
YouTube: Ask Dr Jessica
Shop my favorite products for kids on Amazon here
If you are interested in placing an ad on Your Child Is Normal click here or fill out our interest form.

For a plant-based, USDA Organic certified vitamin supplement, check out : Llama Naturals Vitamin and use discount code: DRJESSICA20

To test your child's microbiome and get recommendations, check out:
Tiny Health using code: DRJESSICA 

The information ...

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ADHD affects nearly 1 in 9 children in the United States, and many parents wonder whether medication is their only option. In this episode, I sit down with Dana Kay, founder of the ADHD Thrive Institute, to discuss practical lifestyle strategies that may help support children with ADHD symptoms. Dana also shares her personal journey raising a son with ADHD and how that experience inspired her work helping thousands of families.
While medication remains an evidence-based treatment that helps many children, this conversation focuses on additional tools parents can consider alongside medical care. We discuss why changes like a protein-rich breakfast, consistent sleep routines, regular exercise, parent training, and small practical changes that can make a meaningful difference over time.
About Dana K
Dana Kay is a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, founder of the ADHD Thrive Institute, host of The Soaring Child podcast, and author of the international bestselling book Thriving with ADHD. After her own son was diagnosed with ADHD at age four, she dedicated her career to helping families address lifestyle factors that may influence ADHD symptoms.
Learn more:
Website: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ADHDThriveInstitute
Podcast: The Soaring Child Podcast
Your Child is Normal is the trusted podcast for parents, pediatricians, and child health experts who want smart, nuanced conversations about raising healthy, resilient kids. Hosted by Dr. Jessica Hochman — a board-certified practicing pediatrician — the show combines evidence-based medicine, expert interviews, and real-world parenting advice to help listeners navigate everything from sleep struggles to mental health, nutrition, screen time, and more.

Follow Dr Jessica Hochman:
Instagram: @AskDrJessica and Tiktok @askdrjessica
YouTube: Ask Dr Jessica
Shop my favorite products for kids on Amazon here
If you are interested in placing an ad on Your Child Is Normal click here or fill out our interest form.

For a plant-based, USDA Organic certified vitamin supplement, check out : Llama Naturals Vitamin and use discount code: DRJESSICA20

To test your child's microbiome and get recommendations, check out:
Tiny Health using code: DRJESSICA 

The information ...

Send us Fan Mail
In this episode, therapist and play therapy expert Dr. Kim Van Dusen explains why play may be one of the most powerful parenting tools we have: play strengthens parent-child relationships, reduces power struggles, supports emotional regulation, encourages independence, and helps children learn important life skills.
She shares practical ways to incorporate play into everyday routines, including chores, homework, transitions, mealtimes, and even those moments when parents are completely exhausted.
We also discuss the importance of independent play, why boredom can be beneficial, and how families can create more connection and joy without spending more money or adding more activities to their schedules.
Whether you have toddlers, school-age children, or teens, this episode offers simple strategies to make family life feel a little lighter and a lot more fun.
Learn more about Dr. Kim Van Dusen and her book at TheParentologist.com.
Your Child is Normal is the trusted podcast for parents, pediatricians, and child health experts who want smart, nuanced conversations about raising healthy, resilient kids. Hosted by Dr. Jessica Hochman — a board-certified practicing pediatrician — the show combines evidence-based medicine, expert interviews, and real-world parenting advice to help listeners navigate everything from sleep struggles to mental health, nutrition, screen time, and more.

Follow Dr Jessica Hochman:
Instagram: @AskDrJessica and Tiktok @askdrjessica
YouTube: Ask Dr Jessica
Shop my favorite products for kids on Amazon here
If you are interested in placing an ad on Your Child Is Normal click here or fill out our interest form.

For a plant-based, USDA Organic certified vitamin supplement, check out : Llama Naturals Vitamin and use discount code: DRJESSICA20

To test your child's microbiome and get recommendations, check out:
Tiny Health using code: DRJESSICA 

The information ...