Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials Podcast

Hearing your child’s first words can be exciting. But what happens when there’s a delay with those words? Speech delays can happen for a variety of reasons and each child’s experience is often unique. Speech language pathologist Kelly Wilber joins us to talk about the signs of a speech delay as well as treatment options to get your child back on track.

Childbirth is a life-changing experience. It’s the final step in a long journey that ends with you holding your little one for the first time. But before you meet your baby, you might have a few questions about what labor and childbirth are really like. OBGYN Salena Zanotti joins us to talk about what happens to your body during labor, birth plans and how much labor hurts.

Loss can be one of the hardest parts of life. It’s a shared experience that we each go through in our own personal way. You might feel you’ve journeyed through your grief and reached a good place just to have a smell or sound send you right back to step one. Reverend Amy Greene, DMin, MDiv, joins us to talk about grief, its stages and ways to find joy as you embark on your journey after loss.

Throughout the pandemic, many of our best parenting routines were disrupted. Screen time increased, bedtime became negotiable and our typical routines were shaken up. Child psychologist Kate Eshleman, PsyD, talks about why routines are important and ways to get them back on track.

Frozen shoulder describes a condition in which the movement of the shoulder becomes limited. This condition can develop for many reasons, but it is very painful and can have a serious impact on your daily life. Luckily, with physical therapy, exercise and other interventions, frozen shoulder is very treatable. Orthopaedic sports medicine specialist Dr. Vikas Patel explains about what causes this c...

Do you find yourself listing “stressed out” as one of your main feelings during the holidays? You’re not alone. Many people experience stress during the holidays. It can be hard to deal with the stress of large family gatherings – especially if it’s your first big holiday since the start of the pandemic – and crafting the picture perfect celebration. Psychologist Matthew Sacco, PhD joins us to tal...

Maintaining quality of life during a serious illness—or planning for end of life care—can be a tough emotional journey. This holds true whether this care is for yourself or a loved one. Luckily, there are healthcare professionals with experience helping people navigate this journey every step of the way. Laura Hoeksema, MD discusses what you can expect from hospice and palliative care—and why both...

When your child tells you they have chest pain, this can sometimes signal problems with their heart. However, most discomfort felt by kids isn’t caused by a serious condition. Pediatric cardiologist Francine Erenberg, MD, discusses the reasons your child might be feeling chest pain—and how to tell when it’s time to worry.

The link between what we eat and how we feel is strong. Many big emotional moments in our lives are paired with certain foods. We reach for our favorite treats for comfort and celebration. But what happens when you find yourself routinely turning to food as a coping mechanism? We talk to psychologist Susan Albers-Bowling, PsyD, about what emotional eating is, how to recognize it and ways to manage...

Cleveland Clinic is in the early stages of a trial that will look at a preventative breast cancer vaccine. Here to talk about the vaccine is Thomas Budd, MD. The principal investigator on the trial, Budd explains how this vaccine could work, the type of breast cancer this trial is targeting and the timeline for the vaccine’s development.

The pelvic floor is a group of stabilizing and supportive muscles found at the base of your pelvis. When these muscles become weak or tight, health issues can follow. Physical therapist Melissa Dubrow, DPT, shares the importance of maintaining pelvic health, including the causes and signs of pelvic floor disorders, and what pelvic health rehab entails.

Your immune system keeps you healthy by protecting you from disease—or, if you do get sick, helping you fight off illness. That’s one major reason building a strong immune system is so important. Cleveland Clinic physician Neha Vyas, MD, shares tips on how you can stay healthy—and the best steps to take for a speedy recovery if you do get sick.

Some conversations can be challenging. How do you start? What do you say? It can be hard to find the words – especially when you’re trying to talk about medical conditions. When a friend or family member is diagnosed with cancer, it can be difficult to talk about the diagnosis with kids. Child psychologist Kate Eshleman, PsyD, talks about ways to start this conversation and tips for talking to you...

There’s lots of information out there about what pregnant people should and shouldn’t do — but what if you’re trying to conceive? From vitamins to diet to genetic considerations, reproductive endocrinologist Stephen B. Mooney. MD talks about what you need to know to best prepare yourself and your body for conception and pregnancy.

It can be difficult to stick to a routine – especially when it involves taking time for yourself. However, self-care is an important part of a balanced life. Psychologist Matthew Sacco, PhD, talks about how to start a self-care routine that works for you and what to do if you need to re-start a routine after a lapse.

It’s well known that exercise is an important way to keep your heart healthy. But how does this apply to children? Pediatric cardiologist Kenneth Zahka, MD, talks about the importance of exercise throughout childhood and how activity is a part of a child’s heart health.

As summer winds down, cases of COVID-19 are surging in various parts of the U.S., causing concern to medical professionals. Thaddeus Stappenbeck, MD, PhD, Chairman of the Department of Inflammation and Immunity at Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute shares what you should know about the state of coronavirus vaccinations, including booster shots and FDA approvals, as well as how to best pr...

Concerns about weight and body image can be common, but what happens when these worries develop into something more? Learn about the various types of eating disorders, their causes and a few signs of these conditions during a conversation with psychologist Dr. Susan Albers.

How can the food we eat — and the foods we don’t eat — soothe or prevent inflammation in the body? Registered dietician Julia Zumpano explains the health benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet, including which foods can have a direct impact on pain, who should try this style of eating and how to decide which anti-inflammatory diet is right for you.

From runny noses and watery eyes to trouble breathing, the symptoms of allergies and asthma can disrupt daily life. Allergist/immunologist Jaclyn Bjelac, MD, talks about the signs of allergies and asthma in children. Learn about ways to spot these conditions in your children, as well as treatment options.

This year’s Olympics brought more headlines than ever about the need for athletes — from the extracurricular to the elite — to tend to their mental health as carefully as they tend to their physical health. Sports psychologist Matthew Sacco, PhD, talks about the specific mental health concerns athletes face as early as childhood, and how sports fans, parents and coaches alike can play a role in su...

Nearly everyone has experienced emotional distress after a traumatic event — but not everyone who experiences trauma develops post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychologist Chivonna Childs, PhD, talks about the ways that standard responses to trauma differ from clinical PTSD, and how those living with PTSD can identify and manage their disorder to ease the long-lasting impact of trauma.

A congenital heart defect is a medical condition that a child has at birth. Pediatric cardiologist Bradley Marino, MD, discusses what it means to have a congenital heart defect, treatment options and ways to talk to your child about their heart.

For many kids, summer is a great time to get outside and have fun. However, it’s important to remember certain safety tips throughout these hot months in the sun. Pediatrician Paula Sabella, MD, discusses ways to avoid dehydration, tips on protection from the sun and ways to care for bites and bruises.

Feeling anxious, stressed or unable to focus? Take a look around you. Clutter, mess or an untidy work area can make some people feel overwhelmed. In fact, research shows that cleaning (or a lack of cleaning) can have an impact on your mental health. Clinical psychologist, Dawn Potter, PsyD, discusses tips for decluttering, how mess can contribute to depression and tension and hoarding disorder.