Perri Klass

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    Teacher Stories
     

    The Power of Stories and Early Relationships

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    March 5, 2021

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    When 4th grade teacher Miriam Marecek turned down the lights and lit the reading candle, magic happened. Pediatrician and journalist Perri Klass describes what it was like being one of Ms. Marecek's students and the impact it's had on her life and professional career. Now, as national medical director for Reach Out and Read, Dr. Klass, promotes books and reading aloud, together, starting at birth.

    Teacher Stories
     

    The Power of Stories and Early Relationships

    ​

    March 5, 2021

    ​

    When 4th grade teacher Miriam Marecek turned down the lights and lit the reading candle, magic happened. Pediatrician and journalist Perri Klass describes what it was like being one of Ms. Marecek's students and the impact it's had on her life and professional career. Now, as national medical director for Reach Out and Read, Dr. Klass, promotes books and reading aloud, together, starting at birth.

    Teacher Stories
     

    The Power of Stories and Early Relationships

    ​

    March 5, 2021

    ​

    When 4th grade teacher Miriam Marecek turned down the lights and lit the reading candle, magic happened. Pediatrician and journalist Perri Klass describes what it was like being one of Ms. Marecek's students and the impact it's had on her life and professional career. Now, as national medical director for Reach Out and Read, Dr. Klass, promotes books and reading aloud, together, starting at birth.

    Talk Nerdy

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    Childhood Vaccines w/ Perri Klass 

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    Feb. 15, 2021

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    In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara Santa Maria is joined by NYU professor of journalism and pediatrics Dr. Perri Klass to talk about her new book, "A Good Time to Be Born: How Science and Public Health Gave Children a Future." They examine the profound impact that medical advancements like vaccines have had on infant mortality and public health. Also discussed: the often-overlooked women and minority practitioners who changed the course of human history. 

    The Checkup: The New York Times Well column

     

    Read weekly columns from March 2016 to now.

    Essential Strategies to Prevent Drowning
    Essential Strategies to Prevent Drowning
    It’s an important safety issue to review every summer, and this may be an especially good moment to brush up.
    With Covid Vaccines for Teens and Kids, Timing Matters
    With Covid Vaccines for Teens and Kids, Timing Matters
    There can be a seven- or eight-week window around Covid vaccines when other shots can’t be given, so those who need them for camp, school or sports have to plan ahead.
    Emerging From the Pandemic With Acne, Facial Hair and Body Odor
    Emerging From the Pandemic With Acne, Facial Hair and Body Odor
    Young people experiencing the body changes of puberty without being in school are facing a unique set of challenges. Here’s how parents can support them.
    How to Spot Depression in Young Children
    How to Spot Depression in Young Children
    We tend to think of childhood as a time of innocence and joy, but as many as 2 to 3 percent of children from ages 6 to 12 can have serious depression.
    How Children Read Differently From Books vs. Screens
    How Children Read Differently From Books vs. Screens
    Scrolling may work for social media, but experts say that for school assignments, kids learn better if they slow down their reading.
    Diagnosing Autism in the Pandemic
    Diagnosing Autism in the Pandemic
    Autism spectrum disorder is often suspected when young children stand out as being different from their peers. That can be much harder in this isolated time.
    Got a Pandemic Puppy? Learn How to Prevent Dog Bites
    Got a Pandemic Puppy? Learn How to Prevent Dog Bites
    With new puppies and kids at home, doctors are worried about treating more children for dog bites.
    The Influence of a Perfect Teacher
    The Influence of a Perfect Teacher
    Perhaps because I had a teacher who made reading aloud into ceremony, ritual and compelling drama, I grew up to find my cause in pediatricians’ promoting reading aloud at checkups.
    How to Help When Adolescents Have Suicidal Thoughts
    How to Help When Adolescents Have Suicidal Thoughts
    Even when rates of suicidal ideation increase, there are ways to keep kids safe.
    There’s No Easy Fix for Children’s Weight Gain
    There’s No Easy Fix for Children’s Weight Gain
    Experts advise families to avoid blaming themselves and to look for opportunities to congratulate children for healthy behaviors and good decisions.
    An Appreciation for Vaccines, and How Far They Have Come
    An Appreciation for Vaccines, and How Far They Have Come
    The DTP vaccine teaches us about how brilliant vaccine technology can be, but also how it can be studied and improved over time.
    Turning the Page on the Year
    Turning the Page on the Year
    If ever there were a new year that called for a new notebook, this would be it.
    What Pediatricians Say Can’t Wait
    What Pediatricians Say Can’t Wait
    As we celebrate the rollout of the new Covid-19 vaccines, don’t forget the standard immunizations and other steps to keep children safe.
    After a Covid-19 Semester, College Doctors Reflect on Sports
    After a Covid-19 Semester, College Doctors Reflect on Sports
    Weighing the risks and benefits of participating in sports against the larger public health factors.
    New Sports Guidelines for Young Athletes After Covid-19
    New Sports Guidelines for Young Athletes After Covid-19
    Children and adolescents who want to return to sports after having the coronavirus should be cleared by a doctor for heart risks.
    New Guidelines Cover Opioid Use After Children’s Surgery
    New Guidelines Cover Opioid Use After Children’s Surgery
    Parents should not be afraid of managing the child’s pain with opioids when they are needed, but should make sure a child does not have access to leftover doses.
    Being Thankful and Hopeful in This Weird and Terrible Year
    Being Thankful and Hopeful in This Weird and Terrible Year
    It’s a year for getting through the winter as well as we can, for thinking about how to help those who are bearing the greatest burdens, and for waiting hopefully for better times.
    How Pediatricians Are Fending Off Coronavirus Myths
    How Pediatricians Are Fending Off Coronavirus Myths
    Doctors report misinformation at both extremes, with some parents worrying about taking impossible precautions and others encouraged to believe their children can’t get infected.
    Helping Children With Anxiety in the Pandemic
    Helping Children With Anxiety in the Pandemic
    Even in an anxious time, children’s anxiety is treatable.
    In a Stressful Time, Knitting for Calm and Connection
    In a Stressful Time, Knitting for Calm and Connection
    The yarn in my fingers connected me to the past, beyond this strange and terrible year, and to the family members far away.
    Respecting Children’s Pain
    Respecting Children’s Pain
    A new study challenges those who care for children to end what researchers say is the common undertreatment of pain in children, starting at birth.
    Recognizing Miscarriage as an Occasion for Grief
    Recognizing Miscarriage as an Occasion for Grief
    Many people experiencing miscarriages feel isolated or blame themselves, often because pregnancy loss is still veiled in secrecy.
    In Terms of Child Mortality, It’s a Good Time for Public Health
    In Terms of Child Mortality, It’s a Good Time for Public Health
    Despite the crises of 2020, parents can realistically expect that children born today will outlive them. That wasn’t always the case.
    Now Taking the Stage in the Pandemic: The School Nurse
    Now Taking the Stage in the Pandemic: The School Nurse
    In the school reopening effort, nurses have a crucial role: being the first to spot and stop the spread of a contagious disease.
    Back-to-School Season in Italy
    Back-to-School Season in Italy
    There is a cultural emphasis on children being with other children, and having them go to school in person.
    For Young People’s Sexual Health, the Pandemic Changes the Game
    For Young People’s Sexual Health, the Pandemic Changes the Game
    The pandemic may offer opportunities to help adolescents and young adults make good decisions regarding sexual and social behavior.
    Do Masks Impede Children’s Development?
    Do Masks Impede Children’s Development?
    Scientists who have studied the ways children process and use the information hidden by masks say that children will find ways to communicate, and that parents and teachers can help.
    Helping Children With Pandemic Grief
    Helping Children With Pandemic Grief
    Many children may learn of a grandparent’s death without a chance to visit to say goodbye.


    Many children may learn of a grandparent’s death without a chance to visit to say goodbye.


    Many children may learn of a grandparent’s death without a chance to visit to say goodbye.
    Young Adults’ Pandemic Mental Health Risks
    Young Adults’ Pandemic Mental Health Risks
    In a new C.D.C. survey, 18- to 24-year-olds reported the highest levels of symptoms of anxiety and depression, and a quarter of them said they had seriously considered suicide.



    How Children’s Sleep Habits Have Changed in the Pandemic
    How Children’s Sleep Habits Have Changed in the Pandemic
    Spending more time on screens, staying up late and sleeping late may require some adjustments for the start of the school year.



    When Things Aren’t OK With a Child’s Mental Health
    When Things Aren’t OK With a Child’s Mental Health
    Everyone is stressed and anxious now. We have to find and help the children who are hurting most.



    In This Pandemic Summer, Don’t Forget About Kids’ Other Risks
    In This Pandemic Summer, Don’t Forget About Kids’ Other Risks
    Reinforcing summer safety with some of the special twists and dangers of this dangerous and twisty time.



    The Pandemic’s Toll on Children With Special Needs and Their Parents
    The Pandemic’s Toll on Children With Special Needs and Their Parents
    Missing social contacts and altered routines, disturbed sleep and eating habits can be particularly intense for the kids with developmental challenges.
    To Get People to Wear Masks, Look to Seatbelts, Helmets and Condoms
    To Get People to Wear Masks, Look to Seatbelts, Helmets and Condoms
    The ways we built habits around other routine safety measures can inform mask-wearing, experts say.
    How Are You Telling Children the Story of the Pandemic?
    How Are You Telling Children the Story of the Pandemic?
    Every child needs a narrative. Here’s what several pediatricians are talking about with their children.
    Caring for Children With Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome
    Caring for Children With Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome
    Now, nearly two months after the first cases were reported, doctors can reassure parents that the syndrome remains rare, while continuing to urge vigilance.



    How to Help Kids Embrace Mask-Wearing
    How to Help Kids Embrace Mask-Wearing
    Most children enjoy the chance to feel morally superior. Assign them to be the family mask monitors.



    The Impact of Disparities on Children’s Health
    The Impact of Disparities on Children’s Health
    Differences in access to medical care and treatment contribute to conditions that disproportionately hurt minority children.
    Concerns About Preterm Birth Extend to the Last Few Weeks
    Concerns About Preterm Birth Extend to the Last Few Weeks
    Infants born at 37 or 38 weeks were more likely to have developmental delays than full-term babies.
    How Do You Decide if Children Can Play Together Again?
    How Do You Decide if Children Can Play Together Again?
    As always, parents must weigh the risks, look at what the experts say and make decisions based on their own level of comfort.
    Hoping for a Covid Vaccine and Recalling the One for Smallpox
    Hoping for a Covid Vaccine and Recalling the One for Smallpox
    It’s worth reflecting on the biologic brilliance of the technique and on what our bodies and immune systems are capable of doing, when appropriately prompted.
    Emotional Eating in Quarantined Kids
    Emotional Eating in Quarantined Kids
    Boredom and stress are two big contributors to emotional eating, and children have a lot of both right now.
    Rethinking Covid-19 in Children
    Rethinking Covid-19 in Children
    There is new evidence that some children may become very sick, and we are beginning to learn more about who may be most at risk and what parents need to watch for.
    What’s Scaring the Pediatricians
    What’s Scaring the Pediatricians
    Children are not the focus of the pandemic. But pediatricians are worried for children and families, for now and for the future.
    How Parents Can Support College Students’ Online Learning
    How Parents Can Support College Students’ Online Learning
    I asked students what parents could do to help them finish a semester that was never supposed to go this way.
    Children May Be Afraid of Masks. Here’s How to Help.
    Children May Be Afraid of Masks. Here’s How to Help.
    Experts suggest acclimating children to masks at home and drawing a connection to superheroes’ uniforms.
    What We Tell Children When the World Seems Unsafe
    What We Tell Children When the World Seems Unsafe
    We have to teach the safety drills for our time, summon our often precarious reserves of courage and find our lullabies where we can.
    What Italian Pediatricians Can Tell Us
    What Italian Pediatricians Can Tell Us
    “We are all facing something new and unknown, and also rapidly changing, for which we don’t have durable protocols,” one wrote.
    Getting Through, Making Memories and Being the Grown-Ups
    Getting Through, Making Memories and Being the Grown-Ups
    You can’t change the world, but you can help shape the way your children experience this and remember it. And you will. You’re the person they need.
    Coronavirus Vaccine Dreams
    Coronavirus Vaccine Dreams
    If we get a vaccine for the coronavirus, it will immediately make our world a safer, easier, more reassuring place once again. That’s what vaccines do.