Episodes

In this profoundly moving and honest conversation, we sit down with Jeff Loving, a NICU dad, husband, and now an author, who shares the intimate and often unspoken grief experienced by fathers after pregnancy loss. Jeff walks...

Melanie, mom to 12-year-old Masen, shares the unexpected path to her son's diagnosis with Homocystinuria (HCU) after a routine eye exam revealed something "off." What followed was months of uncertainty, a rare diagnosis few p...

Tara Cohen opens up about her son Will's autism diagnosis and how it transformed her family and career. From navigating meltdowns to discovering AAC as a communication lifeline, Tara shares her honest reflections on parenting...

"My baby went from fussy to lifeless in hours—by the time we reached the PICU, they said he might have had six hours to live." In this episode, TikTok Influencer and Medical Mom Marlee Brandon , a pediatric speech-language pa...

Join us for an incredibly candid and informative conversation with Audrey Vernick, a passionate advocate and the Director of Patient and Family Advocacy for the Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Alliance. Audrey shares the powerful ...

"The excitement that the kids feel when they are seeing you... and they know today's session with Ms. Luba and they can't wait to see you." - Luba Kaplan When a child enters the medical system, parents often meet many special...

When Stacey's toddler was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, her family's world turned upside down. In this episode, she shares the early warning signs, the struggle of those first two weeks of injections, and how humor and comm...

In this incredibly personal and moving episode, we sit down with Teejay and Jon, the authors of the gentle children's book Clemence , to share the full, raw story of their daughter, Nadiya. Their journey began with an unexpec...

Is the "best" hospital just about technology and surgical success? Ben Harder, the journalist who oversees the methodology and data for the U.S. News Best Children's Hospitals Rankings (2025), joins Katie to break down what t...

Psychologist and heart-transplant recipient Dr. Brittany Clayborne shares how her own medical journey prepared her to guide her son Micah through sudden heart failure, an LVAD, and a life-saving transplant. She unpacks the fa...

In this episode of Child Life On Call, guest Maite Rodriguez shares her daughter Alessia's inspiring journey with sickle cell disease (SCD)—from diagnosis at birth and painful crises to finding a cure through a pediatric bone...

From "colic" that never eased to four pages of confirmed allergens, Susanna Peace Lovell recounts the first years of parenting her daughter, Arizona—years marked by nonstop crying, full-body eczema, and relentless advocacy. W...

In this episode, Dr. Allison Mell—pediatric PT and founder of Tots on Target—breaks down how therapy for kids doesn't have to feel overwhelming. She shares real talk about what progress actually looks like, why play is so pow...

When Camryn's fearless 4-year-old suddenly became anxious, her gut said something deeper was wrong. Multiple "all clear" evaluations followed—until a post-virus crash at age 6 that led to a diagnosis under the PANS/PANDAS umb...

In this reposted episode, Courtney shares her journey of receiving her daughter Annie's Trisomy 21 diagnosis, navigating the NICU, and walking through open-heart surgery complicated by pulmonary hypertension. She talks about ...

Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, epilepsy in children, and autism parenting—in this powerful episode, women's health coach and mom of four, Erin Trier, shares her family's eight-year journey to finally receiving a TSC diagnosis fo...

Victoria Garcia—lovingly known as "Nurse Vic"—shares her powerful journey as a nurse and mom of two, including her daughter Julia, who was diagnosed with achondroplasia during pregnancy. In this heartfelt episode, Victoria op...

In this moving and hope-filled episode, mother-daughter duo Quinn Wyatt and Kirby Larson share the deeply personal story behind their middle grade novel, Gut Reaction . Diagnosed with Crohn's disease as a teen after years of ...

"What started as a terrifying diagnosis became a mission to help other families feel seen, supported, and brave." – Kate, founder of Brave Bears Club In this reposted and newly updated episode, we revisit Kate's emotional and...

"The tears legitimately just turned to curiosity—and she wanted to play." – Mary Jenner, BSN and Founder of the Butterfly Pig Meet Mary, a former pediatric oncology nurse turned full-time entrepreneur and founder of The Butte...

"I was pumping in the NICU, feeling completely disconnected—and my husband looked at me and said, 'Can you invite her in?' That moment changed everything. A nurse handed me a swab, I gave my baby colostrum for the first time,...

In the wake of recent flooding in Central Texas, Katie Taylor—child life specialist and mom—pauses the regularly scheduled episode to speak directly to parents navigating uncertainty and grief. Whether you're facing a natural...

When Laura's daughter was diagnosed with leukemia, her world stopped. What followed was a powerful journey through fear, resilience, and fierce advocacy. In this episode, Laura DeKraker Lang-Ree—a lifelong educator and now au...

This episode is dedicated to Katie's dear friend Joe, who recently passed away, leaving behind his wife and two young sons. Joe's story reminds us to live in alignment with our purpose and to cherish the people we love. In th...