Inside the Children's Hospital

In this week's episode, Kristy Berksza, a mom and Child Life Specialist, tells us how her experience being a healthcare professional and a parent taught her how to communicate a diagnosis to her own daughter. Kristy's daughter was diagnosed with OCD last year when her refusal to go to school worsened.
 
Being a former CLS, Kristy has been able to better support her daughter and explain what the diagnosis means for her going forward. Kristy tells us how a mixture of both medication and therapy that she advocated for have helped create a positive difference in Maggie's quality of life!
 
Timestamps 
1:33 - Introduction to Kristy
5:15 - Receiving the OCD diagnosis  
11:16 - Communicating the diagnosis to her child 
19:59 - Treating OCD in Children
23:24 - Her daughter's Superpowers
26:50 - Finding Community and Taking Care of Oneself
34:08 - Advocating for your Child's Health
 
To listen to more episodes, head to insidethechildrenshospital.com
This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Every child and family is different. Always talk with your child's healthcare team about questions or decisions related to their care.
The experiences and opinions shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, healthcare organizations, or Inside the Children's Hospital.

Katie Taylor sits down with Katie Cangi, mom to 4 and medical mom to her youngest, Lola. Lola was Katie's first NICU baby, and for nine months she was a happy baby, till it became harder and harder for Katie and her husband to calm her down. 
Both Katies traverse through the diagnosis process, as Katie C. attended multiple doctors visits in order to figure out Lola's LCH (Langershans Cell Histiocytosis) diagnosis. Finally getting the answer, the hospital became the family's second home, and Katie gives us an understanding of how she, along with her family, were able to find the little joys in their new atmosphere. 
TimeStamps
1:29 - Introduction to Katie's Journey 
4:22 - Lola's Diagnosis
7:15 - Understanding LCH 
10:14 - Navigating the Diagnosis 
13:12 - The Impact of LCH on Family Life 
16:25 - Navigating Treatment Decisions 
22:12 - Coping Strategies for Caregivers 
25:29 - Managing Hospital Visits 
29:29 - Supporting Siblings in Medical Journeys 
31:31 - Finding Joy Amidst Challenges 
33:18 - Reality of Medical Parenting
 
Resources
What is LCH
 
To listen to more episodes, head to insidethechildrenshospital.com
This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Every child and family is different. Always talk with your child's healthcare team about questions or decisions related to their care.
The experiences and opinions shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, healthcare organizations, or Inside the Children's Hospital.

In today's episode, we sat down with Kristen Cowan, a teacher, and mom of Rylen and Corbin. In 2017, Rylen was only 13 months old when he woke up with a fever that turned out to be bacterial meningitis. Rylen was in the hospital for about 9 days before he unfortunately passed away from the illness.  
Kristen shares her journey of being in the hospital with Rylen, and how she was able to provide a new hope for other families through organ donation. Throughout the episode, Kristen unpacks how she is able to cope with the loss of Rylen by creating a legacy through the Smilin' Rylen Foundation. The foundation was made to honor Rylen by raising awareness about organ donation and assisting families in crisis by offering to pay for hospital parking passes.
 
Time Stamps 
1:32 - Introduction to Kristen
4:29 - The Journey of Loss and Grief
9:30 - Hospital Experiences and Medical Challenges
19:30 - The Decision of Organ Donation 
24:29 - Creating a Legacy 
32:21 - Understanding Rylen's Health Challenges
38:08 - Finding Purpose Through Grief
41:26 - The Significance of Orange 
44:15 - The Parking Pass Program 
49:27 - Growing the Foundation's Impact 
52:14 - Celebrating Rylen's Impact
 
Resources
https://www.smilinrylenfoundation.org/
https://www.facebook.com/SmilinRylenFoundation/

 
To listen to more episodes, head to insidethechildrenshospital.com
This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Every child and family is different. Always talk with your child's healthcare team about questions or decisions related to their care.
The experiences and opinions shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, healthcare organizations, or Inside the Children's Hospital.

For this week's episode, Katie is talking with fellow child-life specialist, Annie "Sunshine" Gunning. For 25 years, Annie has helped adapt typical playtime into something that everyone with different needs, such as children who are nonverbal or wheelchair bound, can enjoy. 
Annie gives us insight into how playing through medical experiences like going to a therapy appointment is important for children to understand the world around them. Similarly, Annie leads us into the hospital setting, detailing how play inside the hospital can create positive environments for children, especially for children who are staying for a longer period of time. 
 
Timestamps 
1:44 - Intro to Child Life and Play
3:20 - Adapting Play for Children with Disabilities 
6:57 - Sibling Interaction and Play
9:03 - Play in Hospital Setting 
12:42 - Creative Play for Hospitalized Children
17:45 - The Importance of Play in Medical Experiences
 
Resources
Annie's Company
Hope for HIE
Annie's Instagram
 
To listen to more episodes, head to insidethechildrenshospital.com
This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Every child and family is different. Always talk with your child's healthcare team about questions or decisions related to their care.
The experiences and opinions shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, healthcare organizations, or Inside the Children's Hospital.

During this week's episode, Katie sits down with Ryan Solieau, an LSU Alum, and dad to a Henry who was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia. Aplastic Anemia is a rare blood disorder where bone marrow stops making new red blood cells, which appeared in Henry as a heart rate of 250. 
Ryan takes us through the experience of learning a new reality during all phases of Henry's diagnoses, from learning how to navigate Henry's initial hospital stay, all the way to supporting Henry emotionally during his monthly transfusions. In the episode, we also learn from Ryan how crucial it is to take care of oneself in order to be the best advocate for Henry.  
 
Timestamps
1:37 - Intro to Ryan 
3:38 - The Hospital Experience: A Second Family
6:24 - The Diagnosis: A Life-Changing Moment
9:38 - Navigating the Medical System
13:49 - Understanding Aplastic Anemia
15:27 - The Roles of Fathers in Caregiving
18:12 - Building Relationships with Hospital Staff
20:44 - Recognizing Emotional Needs
26:40 - Advice for Parents: Seeking Help and Support
35:08 - Fatherhood and Personal Growth
42:01 Navigating Medical Challenges and Triumphs   
Resources
https://www.instagram.com/rsoile6 

 
To listen to more episodes, head to insidethechildrenshospital.com
This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Every child and family is different. Always talk with your child's healthcare team about questions or decisions related to their care.
The experiences and opinions shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, healthcare organizations, or Inside the Children's Hospital.