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I have a license in pharmacy tech, and this podcast was so interesting to listen to! Dr. Playforth is very charismatic, and I loved all of her advice. In fact, I would say I agreed with everything she said--especially the point she made about the reality of information on the internet. Research is often not as black and white as people make it out to be, but for this reason, the facts may not always seem as interesting as the overly dramatic and inaccurate headline-claims. I also loved the point she made about how kids' bodies are not the same as ours. Developmental psychology and biology are so important, and in the past, we have ignored the nuances that come with development, which we simply should not be doing.

I actually had a question about melatonin if anyone has a possible answer or resource I could refer to! Dr. Playforth mentioned that melatonin is a hormone that is produced in response to various *environmental* signals. I was wondering how this fact influences people who have very backward sleep schedules and sleep during the day. I've also been told that the ideal sleep time for the body is from 11pm-7am and that the body works to cleanse (but in a very specific order) during these times (so if you don't sleep on time, your body skips necessary steps). I highly doubt this is a concrete fact, but I was curious about possible thoughts and where this idea may have come from.

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I've seen so many parents on Tiktok recommending elderberry as an immune supplement recently. The point about your immune system working at an optimized capacity was so useful--I never thought about how an overactive immune system is also harmful! It's so great to have resources like you two on the internet for parents looking for more trustworthy, evidence-based information!

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I have seen the Elderberry TikToks too! I found the immune system information fascinating as well!

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I wish there were resources like Pediatrician mom when my children were younger! Pediatricians just don't have the time to answer all of the questions that new parents have on medications, development, sleep, car seats... the list goes on and on. In the absence of that information, so much misinformation has taken over social media and it is difficult to know who to trust. I am thankful for evidenced-based sources like you both to provide information to parents!

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I agree! There is never enough time with the pediatrician. I am so glad the information we provide is helpful to parents but I wonder what other services our readers have found to support their needs. What is available in your area? Home visiting? Case managers? Public health workers? Models like the practice the Pediatrician Mom shared?

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