Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Passport Mommy. I'm your host, Michelle Jerson. This
show is for anyone raising little humans. We feature experts
with tips and advice to enrich the lives of our children.
Mom and dad entrepreneurs tell us their inspiring stories, learn
about products that could make both you and your child's
life easier and more fun, and of course, fellow parents
(00:22):
discuss and laugh about what's happening in their child's world.
Motherhood is a journey. Thanks for joining me onmine. Welcome
to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson. I hope you had
a fabulous week. You know, as parents, there is so
much pressure on us to make sure that we are
doing the very best for our children, and that starts
(00:42):
when they're really young, from homework help and finding missing
cleads to shielding them from stress. It's hard for parents
to see children struggle. However, there is some research that
suggests that rushing into save them may be doing more
harm than good. So I'm really happy to have on
the show with me today parenting and education expert Gg Schweikert.
(01:05):
She's going to talk to us about the growing concern
that over protection may be actually hindering the development of
resilience in children, and she'll share the secrets to raising
better problem solvers and how parenting differently can actually lead
to more independence. If you have kids, you know that
(01:25):
those preschool years are so important. They are so formative
for both kids and parents. I think we really learn
what our child is like a little more with each year.
And I firmly believe that who they have as their
pre K teachers and their three K teachers or whatever
you call it nursery school, depending on wherever you are,
(01:45):
is so important in their development. And so I'm happy
to have on the show with me today, Gg Swikert.
She is the Lightbridge Academy CEO and parenting expert. Hi Gg,
good morning.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Michelle doing well? Thank you? So talk to me about
children these days? What are you finding as the CEO
and parenting expert of light Bridge Academy, are children becoming
more or less resilience?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
So great question, and first of all, let me retract
the expert piece. As the mommy of four grown children
and now a nine month old grandchild, I will say
that we never reach expert status in being a parent.
(02:35):
So it's important for parents to realize that you're never
going to be perfect and you're never going to do
everything just right. But what we are noticing today coming
out of the pandemic and maybe the parenting that we
have looked at previously, is that children are less resilient.
And so let me define resilience for you. Resilience, and
(02:59):
it's most simplistic form, is really recognizing how we respond
when things don't go our way. So how do we
bounce back? How do we bounce back that.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
We didn't get the purple popsicle?
Speaker 2 (03:14):
How do we bounce back that our artwork didn't turn
out exactly like we wanted it? How do we bounce
back that mommy's not going to let me wear those
sandals in the snow? How do we bounce back? And
how we help children to develop that skill set when
they're young is going to be exponentially helpful to them
as they're adults, because we know as adults that never
(03:38):
there's never a day that goes as we expect, and
that we need to have emotional and mental health stability,
be able to recognize those emotions, be able to identify
those emotions, and be able to move quickly towards How
do we overcome it so that we can push through
what it is that we need to do for that day.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
That's excellent advice, and you're right we need that we
need reminders as adults and especially so we can be
role models for our children because they are modeling us
as well, in addition to all their influences that they
have during the day when they could be at school.
So is there a secret to raising more independent kids?
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Yeah, so I want to get to the raising independent
children in just a second, but I do want to
comment on your very astute statement about children are watching us.
Research shows that children do more of what they see
than what we say, and that's part of that resilience.
(04:43):
Is children need not just explanation, but they need experience.
And you will see as your children grow that they
will even with my three daughters I have three daughters
and a son, is that they choose the nail polish
that I chose. Is that the way that I talk
about things, the way that I see my grown daughter
(05:06):
now speaking to her grandson are many of the words
that I used with them. And so the way that
we're going to help those children, our children become more
resilient is that we're going to have to recognize as
parents that when we're rushing through things is when we
(05:26):
typically don't give children an opportunity to practice, meaning to
put their own shoes on, meaning to gather the things
of their backpack. And with that, we just do everything
for them because it's faster, it's easier, and we really
don't want to cause any ripples where people are upset,
(05:48):
where the children are fussing. We're just trying to get
out of the house and get to where we need
to go. These younger years are so important that we're
taking time for children to have some moments of being upset.
Way more important to learn emotional skill set on being
upset because you didn't get the purple popsicle that your
(06:11):
sister or your brother.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
God, then how.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
You're going to deal with a relationship breakup later in life,
or a grade that you anticipated to be an A
or a B in college and it's a C or
a D. How do you have the resilience to come
back from that? Because it's continued demonstration, demonstration of great
performance that ultimately leads to the success of children and
(06:37):
to the success of adults.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Excellent excellent advice. I love it and it is so
important everything that you just said. And so we touched
on becoming more independent, and I know you just said
things like packing your own backpack and doing things for yourself.
What's the secret? What else can we do?
Speaker 2 (06:56):
So I think that independent piece is really structuring a
routine for children so that they understand what it is
that they need to do for independence. And that is
letting them brush their own teeth. That is making sure
that you have rules when you come in the home,
that they're taking their shoes off and they're throwing them
(07:16):
into this basket, and that you're making sure those things happen.
So one of the things that I can say is
that don't say anything at all if you're not prepared
to spend the time making sure the child does what
it is you're asking that child to do. So if
you're asking them to clean up toys and that expectation
(07:38):
is that we clean up the toys before we move
to reading and before we move to snack time, is
that you take the time to recognize that learning just
doesn't happen during play, but the greatest learning, that mental
health learning, that resilience learning happens when a parent is
helping a child to do what it is they ask
(08:01):
them to do.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
That's great, And so how can we as parents and
caregivers find support? Because I feel like on a daily basis,
we are balancing our own jobs, our own responsibilities, the
pressures of being a parent, and we want to show up.
We want to show up positively for our kids because,
like you said, they are going to act like we act,
(08:24):
They are going to really absorb what we're doing. And
I know so many days parents just experience guilt because
they feel like they're not doing enough, or maybe they
did have an explosion of their own because they were
so stressed out. So where can we go for support?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
So you've said so many important things, Michelle, and so
the first thing I'll just reiterate two of the things
that you said. One is giving up the guilt. You
can't be perfect and parenting. Just strive for good intention
and for excellence. And the second one is that give
up the guilt. There are so much many people that
(09:00):
are judging you social media. We're trying to be some
sort of parent that's been painted for us. The parent
that we want to be is developing a relationship with
our child so that when they're older, they will come
to us with any of the issues or problems that
they have so that we can help them work through
them and them recognizing that they're going to be consequences.
(09:24):
So surround yourself with parents who know that we're all
just doing our best. Surround yourself with people that you
can speak with, relatives, neighbors, places of worship where people
are going to give you support and not judgment. And
we also know that for those children who are in nursery, school, preschool, childcare, daycare,
(09:46):
is that ninety one percent of parents recognize and know
that the providers and those programs are an important part
of the growth and development including resilience to their children.
So let go of the guilt, surround yourself with people
who share your values, and do the best you can
(10:08):
every day and let it go at the end of
the day.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
Yes, and you mentioned how it is so important to
pick that program for your kids that does all the
things that you just mentioned. So where can we find
more information on light Bridge Academy.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
So you can find more information at Lightbridge Academy dot
com and it can tell you about educating the whole child.
It's important for them to have the academics but it's
also equally important to have the mental health and the
resilience you need to be a successful adult.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Absolutely, and I will say that just firsthand. I have
seen my kids who have both gone through threes and
FOURST programs and the teachers, the ones who are outgoing,
the ones who bring out my kids' personalities. I mean,
I definitely saw the difference. Were in probably three or
four different programs throughout their time, and you can definitely
(11:05):
see the difference. So I think it is so important
to do your research. And I'm so happy to have
had you on the show today with me. I'm Michelle Jerson.
The Passport Mommy More coming.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Up in a few.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
You're listening to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson. And if
you're a parent, you know that the birth of a
child is a joyous occasion for the entire family. However,
for the families of the more than forty thousand American
babies born each year with congenital heart disease, it can
also bring fear and uncertainty. And there's multiple types of
(11:38):
congenital heart disease, and for families affected by a PhD diagnosis,
they may not be fully aware of the treatments and
the innovations in pediatric cardiac care. And I'm always thrilled
to have somebody on the show with me from CHOPP
from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, because they have a
renowned program there and amazing physicians who can really do
(11:58):
incredible things before even your baby is born. So I'm
so happy to have on the show with me today,
doctor Matthew Elias. Hi, doctor Elias, thank you for joining me.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Oh, good morning, Thank you much for having me. It's
great to be here.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
My pleasure. So how many babies each year are born
with congenital heart disease and do we know why?
Speaker 3 (12:18):
Well, congenital heart heart disease that children are born with
occurs far more often than many realize. It's the most
common birth defect in the United States. It occurs in
about one in every one hundred and ten babies. That
leads to about forty thousand babies per year in the
United States, and about twenty five percent one in four
of those babies born with heart disease have a critical form,
(12:40):
which generally means that they're going to need intervention in
the first year of life. As far as why, we
have some of those answers, and I'm sure we're going
to continue to expand our understanding knowledge and time. But
some forms are associated with known genetic conditions, but others
are sporadic and random without a clear identifiable risk factor.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Interesting, and so how are heart defects diagnosed and treated?
Speaker 3 (13:05):
More and more forms of congenital heart disease are now
being diagnosed before birth that routinely occurs during the twenty
week approximately anatomy ultrasounds that families will have when they're
often anxious to find out the gender of their child,
and the anatomy of their child, including their heart, is
closely examined. Sometimes babies are not diagnosed until after birth,
(13:27):
and all babies should be receiving a newborn screening for
heart disease, which includes checking their oxygen level to make
sure it's within a normal range. And sometimes children not
diagnosed until later on with different symptoms that it could
occur or abnormal examination findings.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
And when you mentioned symptoms, what kind of symptoms could
be signs of a heart problem and.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
A child, Well, it's a challenge because symptoms such as
chest pain or maybe fainting are quite common in children
and they generally do not mean that a child has heart disease,
but they always require an evaluation by primary care provider
can help families determine if the issues are concerning and
if they require pietric cardiology evaluation. But some specific forms,
(14:07):
specific types. Symptoms might include chest pain, particularly if chest
pain occurs during exertion, recess gym sports. Palpitations need a
sudden onset of a faster heart rate or maybe a
faster heart rate out of proportion to the level activity
that child is doing. Fainting, which sometimes can be innocent,
and really the treatment there might be increase hydration, but
(14:28):
if fainting occurs during sports, that's very concerning, and especially
if it occurs suddenly without warning.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Yeah, and so is there anything that children can do
to improve their heart health?
Speaker 3 (14:39):
Absolutely, there are several ways in which children with heart
disease or without heart disease can improve their heart health
and the short term and the long term it's really
things that we should all be doing in adulthood too.
Heart healthy diets theme about fruits and vegetables and avoiding
high sugar, high saturate of fat, and it's specifically for
children exercise and play. So the American Academy of Pediatrics
(15:00):
recommends children over six years old have at least one
hour of exercise or activity having fun every day and
decrease in that screen time.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Should have a healthy weight.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
Make sure they're getting enough sleep, make sure that everyone
has their routine medical care, including a cholesterol check between
nine and eleven years old. And we're always talking about
avoiding drugs and alcohol and tobacco, but we need to
be wary of energy drinks as well, which are not
recommended in our children exactly.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
And you mentioned sleep because I feel like it is
so important, especially for young kids, to make sure they
get enough sleep. And sometimes there's just so much to
do in a day, especially if their school activities are
packed in after their school day. So how do you
advise that we make sure that we're hitting on all
those buttons that you mentioned.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
I think that's such a challenge. I say that as
a position, but also as a parent, just for myself
making sure I have adequate sleep and sleep hygiene, but
knowing that this is true for adults as well. But
you can't necessarily get everything done in one day, but
prioritizing what needs to get done, so for our children,
their homework of course, make sure that they're doing that first,
(16:06):
and it's so important to have extracurricular activities, but making
sure that we're not overdoing it, to make sure that
we have enough time in the day to eat healthy meals,
to eat dinner, to go to sleep at a normal time,
and we're not staying up so late at night doing
our homework and then exhausted the next day. Right.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Excellent, excellent advice. So what do you think about the
future for cardiac treatment and interventions.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
I think the future is so bright. We now have
treatment options for conditions that used to be sadly fatal
and not too long ago. Manimally invasive procedures now, such
as cardiac catheterizations are becoming more common for certain forms
of heart disease and often replacing forms of open heart surgery.
There have been advances in were needle care, fetal diagnoses,
(16:51):
and even in some cases some interventions before birth, which
is incredible. There have been advanced imaging techniques, some three
D modeling that I think is so important to improve
our understanding of each child's individual heart condition and when
used appropriately and further research is definitely necessary. I think
there's going to be a role in some way for
artificial intelligence in medicine and pietric cardiology. But for many reasons,
(17:15):
I am so optimistic for the future, and we're going
to continue to expand your understanding knowledge of conjeneral heart
disease to improve the lives of our children.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Absolutely. Well, thank you so much for all that you
are doing in all of your colleagues at CHOP. It's
really an incredible program. Where can we go for more information?
Speaker 3 (17:31):
Well, thank you. Listeners can learn more at our website
which is chop cchop dot edu slash heart terrific.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
Thank you so much, doctor Matthew Alias. I appreciate you
joining me today on Passport Mommy.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
It's give my pleasure.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Thank you. I'm Michelle Jerson. More coming up in a
few you're listening to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson and
I am so happy to have our next guest on
this show. Her name is Shoshanna Gleish and she is
performing in Susicle the Musical with Epic Players, which was
such a fun show. We went to see it last week.
(18:09):
She plays the cat in the hat, which was just
awesome and I don't want to give it away, but
I just will a tiny bit. She comes out on
roller skates, So that's like the setting of the show
that sets it up on just how much fun the
show ends up being. Shoshana, thank you so much for
joining me today.
Speaker 5 (18:28):
Oh, thank you Michelle for having me here on the show.
I'm so appreciative.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Let's talk about Susical the musical at first, and just
give us a brief synopsis of what it's about and
what ages you think this show is perfect for.
Speaker 5 (18:40):
Susicle is about for me personally, it's about the preservation
of imagination, of childhood, of embracing the child within, about
you know, I, as the cat in the hat, am
encouraging Jojo, the young girl in this uh to to
(19:05):
embrace her imagination.
Speaker 6 (19:06):
She has a great imagination.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
And there's this conflict where her parents are you know,
wanting her to.
Speaker 6 (19:15):
You know, not do that and and to you know, go.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
To school and and anyway.
Speaker 6 (19:21):
So I for me, I see it as.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
The uh you know, of really really loving that part
of ourselves that is the child, that is the you
know that the is the imagination.
Speaker 6 (19:33):
Yes, yes, that that's what the story is for me.
Speaker 5 (19:37):
I it's also you know, has a message of you know,
just loving all people, you know, no matter how small
or you know, different, or you know they are.
Speaker 6 (19:48):
There's that message as well in the story.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
I Love That and the song that like no matter
how small people are people in the and my guess
came home singing that the next day and it really
resonated with them.
Speaker 5 (20:02):
Beautiful, beautiful. Oh how special that is and how important
that is?
Speaker 1 (20:07):
Yes, for sure. So let's talk about Epic players because
this theater group is also really special. How long have
you been performing with them?
Speaker 4 (20:19):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (20:19):
Good question? Okay, so you know it's so interesting, I
asked them. When did I begin with them? I think
it was I started to get involved with Epic. I
believe it was around twenty eighteen, twenty seventeen or twenty eighteen,
But I didn't really start getting into doing the shows.
Speaker 6 (20:40):
With them for a while. It took me a while.
Speaker 5 (20:44):
So Susicle is my second main stage show with Epic.
Speaker 6 (20:51):
You know.
Speaker 5 (20:52):
Yeah, I did Spring Awakening and then and then Now
and then I got cast as the lead in Susicle.
Speaker 6 (21:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (21:00):
Yeah, So, but I would say I started to learn
about Epic around twenty seventeen, twenty eighteen, as I personally.
I had my own television show at that time for
Manhattan Neighborhood Network, and I was specializing on having people
with disabilities on my show. And at the gym that
(21:25):
I worked out at, Michelle, there was a young woman,
Samantha Ellasofon, who I just thought was incredible. She was
this woman in my class's daughter, and she was on
the spectrum, I found out, and I was just so
taken by her, and so it just brought my attention
to Epic because she was part of Epic. And then
(21:48):
I realized I am also neurodivergent. So I ended up
auditioning and got in.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
Amazing. Yeah, let's back up for a minute. So tell
me about Epic players and the premise behind the theater
group and how they started.
Speaker 6 (22:05):
Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, good question.
Speaker 5 (22:09):
Also, so I believe the emphasis is again neurodiververgent players,
you know, people that are on the spectrum and my
my challenges. I I may have I never got a
test for autism, but I probably was. But I also
(22:29):
had a traumatic brain injury which changed my whole chemistry
of my brain and so.
Speaker 6 (22:37):
And I fit in. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
So, but that's I think the premise is yeah, that
with EPIC, it's it's people on the spectrum. They also
accept people, you know, of other disabilities, you know, or
I say disabilities because I often th Hi s has
often you develop other incredible abilites when you have you know,
(23:02):
are dealing with the disability. So but yeah, so there
are people that are hard of hearing in the in
the in the theater company. There are people that you know,
have site issues they can't see, and so it's different,
you know, uh, cerebral palsy, you know, different things like that, right, Yeah,
(23:29):
And I'm trying to think what I'm not I'm not
completely sure of the story of how it began. I
believe it is Aubrey Therian who who started it, and
I simply heard his story Michelle that that but I
don't know if this is correct or not. But I
(23:50):
had heard a story that that she had, you know,
people in her family or was exposed to people with
disabilities and it just upset her so terribly that you know,
they didn't have special care and so and she started
she started the theater company.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Yeah, and you know what, And I just think that's
so amazing because I work with somebody who has a
son who has disabilities, and she got him into theater
and she said that at first it was really hard
to find him a theater group that would take him
on and realize his abilities and how amazing he could
be for the show and how amazed you know, all
(24:29):
like you just mentioned the things, the attributes that he
could bring and how wonderful theater was for him, and
then she found him a group that included him, and
she just talked about the impact that theater makes. And
I think it's just an incredible thing to give to
a child, is to allow them or an adult to
be part of a theater group, because I think that
(24:52):
just brings together everyone and the arts just bring out
so much talent in each individual.
Speaker 5 (24:59):
Yes, definitely, definitely, yeah. And I think like Susicle fits
with that whole message because Susical is all about the
imagination and the you know, the great gift and beauty
of imagination.
Speaker 6 (25:12):
So I see that, you know, it so fits.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
With you know, just Epic exactly. And I was I
was reading that Epic does at least two shows a
year and they also do too original works per year.
Speaker 5 (25:29):
Mmm mm hmmmm hmmm, yeah, right, I mean, I uh yeah,
I actually had one of my original works that I
wrote in Epic you know, they had they did a
special like new Directors, New Writers, uh like program. So yes, yes,
(25:52):
and they're wanting to do more of that, more original works,
which is an incredible uh thing and great, you know,
an incredible opportunity for artists. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Yeah, and you do it at venues like Joe's pub
right then the Buck here at Lincoln Center. I mean,
how amazing is that amazing?
Speaker 6 (26:13):
It really is?
Speaker 5 (26:14):
Yes, yes, absolutely, yeah, they do where people share their
monologues from their you know, different stories that they've brit
in creative works.
Speaker 6 (26:23):
Yes, so yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
I just think it's it's incredible to bring so many
different people together who are so talented, and you know,
I think like for us, it was our first time
attending a show put on by Neurodivergent community, and we'll
definitely be back to see others because it was amazing
and my kids loved it. So I think it's so
(26:48):
good that you do this and it and people could
be exposed to this who maybe would not have attended
a show before, didn't even know it existed.
Speaker 5 (26:57):
Yeah right, absolutely, oh yeah, and you know Epic shows.
My two experiences with being in their shows. They are
so professional and put so much love and care into
their work. It's just been phenomenal, really phenomenal to work
(27:19):
with them.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
And yeah, yeah, So what's been your favorite thing about
being part of the Epic players?
Speaker 6 (27:28):
What's been my favorite? Oh, my goodness, my favorite thing.
Oh my god.
Speaker 5 (27:34):
There's so many things that I'm just so in love
with about Epic. I love I love the sensitivity, the care,
the and it mixed with the professionalism and the creativity,
you know, and but the but the level of the
(27:54):
shows I mean, yeah, that they produce is just phenomenal,
you know, And and I love that they provide Also,
one of the things that's been so helpful to me
is they provide mentors for players, and that's made a
such a big difference to be able to work with
(28:15):
someone one on one to address my particular challenges and
to help me overcome what stopped me in the past
from stepping through as an artist. So yeah, so I
find that to be that's been personally definitely a favorite
of mine, as the one on one mentorship that they
(28:36):
provide for for each of the players.
Speaker 6 (28:39):
Yeah, awesome, you know, awesome help.
Speaker 5 (28:42):
Because my mentor, you know, I was ready to say
no to these opportunities, which was a pattern of mine, right,
and my mentor said this, you know, really helped me
to see Shashana, this is a professional show that you
will have an opportunity to share your gifts in. And
they really encouraged me to say yes for the auditions
and then to say yes when I was cast. So yeah,
(29:06):
So that's a definite favorite of mine.
Speaker 6 (29:09):
And the players.
Speaker 5 (29:12):
Are also just a great you know, a bunch of
people that are so again, very sensitive and caring, really beautiful,
beautiful souls. So yeah, so I just that's another, you know,
one of my favorites of epic.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
Yeah, and I think their mission and what they're doing
is amazing because I was reading that individuals living with
developmental disabilities are often underpaid and underrepresented in the workplace
that the Department of Labor reports and only thirty two
percent of eligible working age individuals with disabilities are employed.
And in the entertainment industry, only two percent of roles
(29:55):
are written for characters living with the disability, and of
those roles, ninety four percent are played by able bodied
or neurotypical actors. So representation is important. What they're doing
to get that message out and to also work with
everybody who's in the cast is amazing.
Speaker 5 (30:13):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely it is. It is so incredible and
I'm especially grateful. Also on another note, is that you
know that they cast me as the cat in the
hat and I'm I am, you know, older than most
of the players, So you're really inclusive in in that,
(30:33):
Like I'm one of the oldest of the of the
members in the in the in the cast, you know,
in players. So just feel very grateful that they all
in all arenas they're they're just inclusive.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
Yeah. And I thought the parts, I mean, everybody who
played their particular part I think was such a great
fit for that role. So I think they did an
amazing job casting it. And so what for those who
are going to go catch Suscle the musical because it
is playing through Sunday, where can they go for information
(31:10):
to get their tickets, to get more information about Epic Players.
Maybe they can't make this particular performance, but so that
we make sure we are notified of future shows.
Speaker 5 (31:19):
Sure, sure, Well there is a website on the you
know that people can look up Epic Players n YC.
And go to the homepage and there's all the information
about epic and you know what's coming up terrific.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Yeah, I'm on Epic Players NYC dot org right now
and I see there's everything it's all about, you know,
the theater group and all the shows that are coming up,
and where can people find you if they'd like to
follow all that you do And we'll be doing.
Speaker 5 (31:46):
On Instagram at Shoshana Gleish it's Shoshana with two ends
and Gleise g l e I c h or at
Shoshana Yawana Productions on YouTube Shoshana Yojana ya Wa Nna
Productions on YouTube.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
And so I just want to say thank you, thank
you so much. What you brought to the role of
the cat and hat was just so fun. And it's like,
I don't think I can go see Shusical the musical
quite honestly without envisioning you as that character because you
were so good. It was such a perfect role for you.
Speaker 6 (32:23):
Oh, thank you so much, Michelle, Thank you, and.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
I look forward to following you and seeing what you
do next. I really appreciate you joining me today on
Passport Mommy Shoshana Gleish.
Speaker 5 (32:33):
Oh, thank you so much, Thank you, Michelle I really
appreciate you having me here.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
You're listening to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson and the
Kentucky Derby is approaching in May, so I'm really happy
to have on this show today. Pete's Kathy Guillermo. She
is going to talk to us about the horse racing industry.
She's the senior VP of People for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals. And did you know that just two years
ago more then a dozen horses died during Triple Crown season,
(33:03):
which prompts a nationwide outcry over the abuse of horses
in the racing industry. Kathy, thank you so much for
joining me today.
Speaker 7 (33:12):
Happy to be here, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
So what's happening in the horse racing industry now and
why should people be concerned?
Speaker 7 (33:20):
Well, those deaths were an indication of what's been going
on for a long time, and they were obviously deeply
upsetting for everybody. We have seen some improvements since then,
not enough, but we do have a federal oversight body
that is trying to regulate the use of medications and
stop illicit and illegal practices in the horse racing industry.
(33:42):
Last year there were many fewer deaths. Fortunately, and we
need to get to the point where there are zero
I think the fundamental issue here is the use of medications.
We know that medications given to horses who are injured
cover up those injuries, and the horses then get out
on a track, they don't show that they might have
a problem, and that's when their bones fracture. So our
(34:06):
plug abuse is the real issue.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
Here, right exactly. And then you know they're drugging these
horses to mask the pain of the injuries, and then
you know, running them through through everything that they need
to do. And then another thing that's really upsetting is
the amount of hours that they spend alone in a
stall as opposed to being out with other horses.
Speaker 7 (34:24):
It's so true, you know. Sometimes I think that the
people in the race and industry, who some of whom
love their horses deeply, and some of whom basically treat
them as though they're just financial commodities, But many times
they all forget that these are animals who are herd
animals who like to be outside, who want to graze,
who want to be with others of their own kind,
and they're denied all this on the racetrack. And many
(34:47):
people don't know that most race horses actually live at racetracks,
sometimes the same track all year long. Sometimes they go
from track to track, but that is month after month,
year after year at a racetrack stall.
Speaker 8 (35:00):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (35:01):
So what can the racing industry do better?
Speaker 7 (35:05):
Well, first of all, they should ban all medication in
the two weeks before a race, because if a horse
needs a painkiller or an anti inflammatory draw, that horse
should not be training or racing. They need to be
allowed time to recuperate. And there are other measures that
they can take too. We know that dirt tracks cause
or let me get the statistics correct, a horse is
(35:25):
dying more frequently on dirt tracks than they do on
synthetic tracks, So all dirt tracks should be switched to
synthetic surfaces. And we need to get a handle on
who's dispensing the medications and why. And one way this
can be done is to follow the example of Hong
Kong Racing, which has the safest record in the world
(35:46):
for horses, and dispense medications only through a central pharmacy
on the track, so that officials can be observing who
gets what and why, rather than by many different veterinarians
who are going to to different clients on the track,
and we'd like to see some high tech implements put
(36:06):
in place. For example, there is a portable CT scan
equipment low radiation horses can be put step they can
step right on it. It can scan the legs they
step right off, and that can tell us if there
are pre existing injuries or of vulnerability in the bone
of the horse. And also I think we just have
(36:27):
to get rid of whipping horses on the track. It
is fortunately limited now. They can't just beat a horse
thirty times going down the stretches. They could in years past.
But nevertheless, we shouldn't be striking horses to make them go.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
Faster, right exactly. And so what can we do personally
to help on our end?
Speaker 7 (36:48):
Well, you know, I think the most important thing is
we head into the Triple Crown season. On May third
is the Kentucky Derby. That's the one day of a
year when many people in America are aware of horse racing,
when most of the rest of them time they don't
even think about it. But as long as horses are dying,
we shouldn't be supporting this industry. So don't turn it
on the TV, you know, do something else. On Saturday,
(37:10):
May third. That is fun and that doesn't involve animals
in that way. Yeah, really don't bet on the on
the horses. There are also actions that can be taken
on our website. We make it easy for people who
are interested to email officials and promote the kind of
change we're talking.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
About, terrific and tell us the website.
Speaker 7 (37:32):
It is PEDA dot org peta dot org, and they
can also see some of the nine different undercover investigations
that we've done, video investigations of the race and industry
where we document much of.
Speaker 6 (37:46):
What I've talked about here.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Terrific. Well, thank you for all of the work you've done.
You've been with PETA for thirty six years, so clearly
you have overseen a lot and unfortunately the release of
multiple horse racing investigations that have exposed the deaths of
young horses at thoroughbred auctions and so much more so,
thank you for your continued work with everything that you're
(38:08):
doing for the horse racing industry and for horses, I
should say not for the industry.
Speaker 7 (38:13):
Thank you. I appreciate that. And change can be slow,
but it does happen. We just got to stick with
it absolutely.
Speaker 1 (38:19):
Thank you so much, Kathy Guiermo. I'm Michelle Jerson. The
Passport Mommy more coming up in a few you're listening
to Passport Mommy, I'm Mischelle Jerson, and if you are
a pet owner, you are going to want to hear
this next segment. Maybe you've heard of canine parvo virus.
It's an often fatal puppy disease and it has the
highest reported outbreak rates in seven states according to new
(38:41):
data from Malanco Animal Health. And some of these states
include California, Texas, Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, and New York.
But just because your state isn't on the list doesn't
mean that your puppy is not at risk. So I'm
really happy to have on the show with me today,
doctor Chris George. He's a VETNA and infectious disease specialists
(39:02):
with Alanco Animal Health. Hi doctor George.
Speaker 8 (39:06):
Hi Michelle, Thank you so much for having me and
helping to spread the awareness of canine parvovirus.
Speaker 1 (39:11):
My pleasure. So tell me what exactly is parvo virus
and what are the signs and symptoms.
Speaker 8 (39:16):
Canon parvavirus, or just parvo for short, is one of
the most common highly contagious and potentially fatal viruses or
diseases that we see in dogs. Now, we can see
it in dogs of any age, but most commonly it's
our puppies or unvaccinated dogs that are are most at risk.
So think dogs around six weeks to six months of
age are most susceptible. Now, the most common symptoms this
(39:39):
is a GI virus or gastrointestinal virus.
Speaker 4 (39:42):
So the most common symptoms we.
Speaker 8 (39:44):
See are things like vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, or lethargy,
which is generally acting sick or tired.
Speaker 1 (39:50):
Can this be avoided?
Speaker 4 (39:52):
It can be avoided. Prevention is maybe a better word.
Speaker 8 (39:57):
So as you mentioned, there are some states where we
see it a little bit more prevalent currently, but I
promise to you this.
Speaker 4 (40:03):
Is in all fifty states.
Speaker 8 (40:04):
So just because your state wasn't listed, it is prevalent
in all fifty states. And prevention is sort of key
with canine parvovirus. We have some great tools for prevention.
First and foremost is vaccines. We have highly effective vaccines
to prevent canine parvovirus, So make sure you talk with
your local veterinarian and keep your dog up to date
(40:25):
on vaccines, or if you're fortunate enough to get that
new family member, that new puppy into your household, make
sure you get into your vet so that they can
start their puppy vaccine series and be protected as soon
as possible. The other part of prevention is avoidance. Now,
if you do have one of those more vulnerable puppies
or unvaccinated dogs, trying to avoid doggy daycares or dog
(40:48):
parks where we see higher populations of dogs and can
see increased exposure risks to parvavirus.
Speaker 1 (40:54):
So how is it spread.
Speaker 8 (40:55):
It's spread through either direct or indirect contact with contaminated feces.
So a dog doesn't necessarily have to go and eat
a whole nother dog's pile of poop, which I know
some of our dogs are guilty of doing, but they
could just simply walk through a contaminated area and then
lick their paws or you and I can actually spread
the virus too.
Speaker 4 (41:14):
It can get on our.
Speaker 8 (41:15):
Shoes, our clothes, our hands, and when our dogs come
and lick or smell us, that can expose them to
the virus as well.
Speaker 4 (41:22):
So again, make sure be a good citizen.
Speaker 8 (41:25):
Pick up after your dog, you know, scoop that poop
and help.
Speaker 4 (41:28):
Limit the spread of canine parvavirus.
Speaker 1 (41:30):
Right, that's excellent advice because you know, you think, oh,
maybe it's just to keep the neighborhood clean, but no,
it is so much more than that.
Speaker 8 (41:36):
Yes, it's not just parvo. There's other parasites and things
that can be spread that way. So you're absolutely right,
it's really important to keep the things clean.
Speaker 1 (41:43):
If by chance, your canine does get parvo. What are
some treatment options?
Speaker 8 (41:48):
So, historically there's not been a targeted treatment for canine parvavirus.
We've been left with just supportive care or symptomatic care.
So what I mean by that is typically ICEE you
are in tensive care in a veterinary hospital to try
and manage the symptoms while letting the virus run its course,
so things like ivy fluids or anti noagea anti vomiting medications.
(42:11):
But fortunately Alenko has come out with a targeted treatment
in the form of canine parvovirus monoclonal antibody or CPMA.
For sure, it's the first and only USDA conditionally approve
targeted treatment for parvo actually binds the virus and neutralizes it,
so we're treating the underlying disease and not just another symptom.
(42:31):
So it can really help puppies feel better, faster and
ultimately get home quicker.
Speaker 1 (42:35):
Oh that's amazing, and so where can somebody get this?
Speaker 8 (42:38):
I want you to visit a great website called stop
parvo dot com and Parvo's paar vo so stopparvo dot
com where you can learn more about knine parvovirus, including
CPMA as a potential treatment option.
Speaker 4 (42:51):
There's also a really cool tool on there called the
Parvo Track. What that is It is a tool where we.
Speaker 8 (42:57):
Can actually identify or track harvo cases down to the
county level, so pet parents can sign up for alerts
and be notified if there is an outbreak in their area.
Speaker 4 (43:07):
They can also report cases.
Speaker 1 (43:09):
That's terrific. Well, thank you so much for all of
the work that you're doing. Because if we do own
a doggie, we want to keep them as healthy as
we can. They are our best friends, right for the
entire family, So thank you so much for all of
your work that you're doing on this. Where can we
also get more information on a Lanco Animal Healthy You.
Speaker 8 (43:27):
Can go to a lanco dot com for more information
on all things Alanco and all the other amazing preventive
medicines and therapeutics that are out there or Stopparvo dot
com is also a great resource again for more detailed
information on parvovirus, including that Parvo Trek tool that's now available.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
Terrific, doctor Chris George, thank you so much for joining
me today on Passport Mommy.
Speaker 4 (43:49):
Yes, thank you Michelle for helping TOUS spread the awareness.
Speaker 1 (43:52):
Thank you so much for listening. I hope you have
a fabulous week.
Speaker 5 (44:00):
O
Welcome to Passport Mommy. I'm your host, Michelle Jerson. This
show is for anyone raising little humans. We feature experts
with tips and advice to enrich the lives of our children.
Mom and dad entrepreneurs tell us their inspiring stories, learn
about products that could make both you and your child's
life easier and more fun, and of course, fellow parents
(00:22):
discuss and laugh about what's happening in their child's world.
Motherhood is a journey. Thanks for joining me onmine. Welcome
to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson. I hope you had
a fabulous week. You know, as parents, there is so
much pressure on us to make sure that we are
doing the very best for our children, and that starts
(00:42):
when they're really young, from homework help and finding missing
cleads to shielding them from stress. It's hard for parents
to see children struggle. However, there is some research that
suggests that rushing into save them may be doing more
harm than good. So I'm really happy to have on
the show with me today parenting and education expert Gg Schweikert.
(01:05):
She's going to talk to us about the growing concern
that over protection may be actually hindering the development of
resilience in children, and she'll share the secrets to raising
better problem solvers and how parenting differently can actually lead
to more independence. If you have kids, you know that
(01:25):
those preschool years are so important. They are so formative
for both kids and parents. I think we really learn
what our child is like a little more with each year.
And I firmly believe that who they have as their
pre K teachers and their three K teachers or whatever
you call it nursery school, depending on wherever you are,
(01:45):
is so important in their development. And so I'm happy
to have on the show with me today, Gg Swikert.
She is the Lightbridge Academy CEO and parenting expert. Hi Gg,
good morning.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Michelle doing well? Thank you? So talk to me about
children these days? What are you finding as the CEO
and parenting expert of light Bridge Academy, are children becoming
more or less resilience?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
So great question, and first of all, let me retract
the expert piece. As the mommy of four grown children
and now a nine month old grandchild, I will say
that we never reach expert status in being a parent.
(02:35):
So it's important for parents to realize that you're never
going to be perfect and you're never going to do
everything just right. But what we are noticing today coming
out of the pandemic and maybe the parenting that we
have looked at previously, is that children are less resilient.
And so let me define resilience for you. Resilience, and
(02:59):
it's most simplistic form, is really recognizing how we respond
when things don't go our way. So how do we
bounce back? How do we bounce back that.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
We didn't get the purple popsicle?
Speaker 2 (03:14):
How do we bounce back that our artwork didn't turn
out exactly like we wanted it? How do we bounce
back that mommy's not going to let me wear those
sandals in the snow? How do we bounce back? And
how we help children to develop that skill set when
they're young is going to be exponentially helpful to them
as they're adults, because we know as adults that never
(03:38):
there's never a day that goes as we expect, and
that we need to have emotional and mental health stability,
be able to recognize those emotions, be able to identify
those emotions, and be able to move quickly towards How
do we overcome it so that we can push through
what it is that we need to do for that day.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
That's excellent advice, and you're right we need that we
need reminders as adults and especially so we can be
role models for our children because they are modeling us
as well, in addition to all their influences that they
have during the day when they could be at school.
So is there a secret to raising more independent kids?
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Yeah, so I want to get to the raising independent
children in just a second, but I do want to
comment on your very astute statement about children are watching us.
Research shows that children do more of what they see
than what we say, and that's part of that resilience.
(04:43):
Is children need not just explanation, but they need experience.
And you will see as your children grow that they
will even with my three daughters I have three daughters
and a son, is that they choose the nail polish
that I chose. Is that the way that I talk
about things, the way that I see my grown daughter
(05:06):
now speaking to her grandson are many of the words
that I used with them. And so the way that
we're going to help those children, our children become more
resilient is that we're going to have to recognize as
parents that when we're rushing through things is when we
(05:26):
typically don't give children an opportunity to practice, meaning to
put their own shoes on, meaning to gather the things
of their backpack. And with that, we just do everything
for them because it's faster, it's easier, and we really
don't want to cause any ripples where people are upset,
(05:48):
where the children are fussing. We're just trying to get
out of the house and get to where we need
to go. These younger years are so important that we're
taking time for children to have some moments of being upset.
Way more important to learn emotional skill set on being
upset because you didn't get the purple popsicle that your
(06:11):
sister or your brother.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
God, then how.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
You're going to deal with a relationship breakup later in life,
or a grade that you anticipated to be an A
or a B in college and it's a C or
a D. How do you have the resilience to come
back from that? Because it's continued demonstration, demonstration of great
performance that ultimately leads to the success of children and
(06:37):
to the success of adults.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Excellent excellent advice. I love it and it is so
important everything that you just said. And so we touched
on becoming more independent, and I know you just said
things like packing your own backpack and doing things for yourself.
What's the secret? What else can we do?
Speaker 2 (06:56):
So I think that independent piece is really structuring a
routine for children so that they understand what it is
that they need to do for independence. And that is
letting them brush their own teeth. That is making sure
that you have rules when you come in the home,
that they're taking their shoes off and they're throwing them
(07:16):
into this basket, and that you're making sure those things happen.
So one of the things that I can say is
that don't say anything at all if you're not prepared
to spend the time making sure the child does what
it is you're asking that child to do. So if
you're asking them to clean up toys and that expectation
(07:38):
is that we clean up the toys before we move
to reading and before we move to snack time, is
that you take the time to recognize that learning just
doesn't happen during play, but the greatest learning, that mental
health learning, that resilience learning happens when a parent is
helping a child to do what it is they ask
(08:01):
them to do.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
That's great, And so how can we as parents and
caregivers find support? Because I feel like on a daily basis,
we are balancing our own jobs, our own responsibilities, the
pressures of being a parent, and we want to show up.
We want to show up positively for our kids because,
like you said, they are going to act like we act,
(08:24):
They are going to really absorb what we're doing. And
I know so many days parents just experience guilt because
they feel like they're not doing enough, or maybe they
did have an explosion of their own because they were
so stressed out. So where can we go for support?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
So you've said so many important things, Michelle, and so
the first thing I'll just reiterate two of the things
that you said. One is giving up the guilt. You
can't be perfect and parenting. Just strive for good intention
and for excellence. And the second one is that give
up the guilt. There are so much many people that
(09:00):
are judging you social media. We're trying to be some
sort of parent that's been painted for us. The parent
that we want to be is developing a relationship with
our child so that when they're older, they will come
to us with any of the issues or problems that
they have so that we can help them work through
them and them recognizing that they're going to be consequences.
(09:24):
So surround yourself with parents who know that we're all
just doing our best. Surround yourself with people that you
can speak with, relatives, neighbors, places of worship where people
are going to give you support and not judgment. And
we also know that for those children who are in nursery, school, preschool, childcare, daycare,
(09:46):
is that ninety one percent of parents recognize and know
that the providers and those programs are an important part
of the growth and development including resilience to their children.
So let go of the guilt, surround yourself with people
who share your values, and do the best you can
(10:08):
every day and let it go at the end of
the day.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
Yes, and you mentioned how it is so important to
pick that program for your kids that does all the
things that you just mentioned. So where can we find
more information on light Bridge Academy.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
So you can find more information at Lightbridge Academy dot
com and it can tell you about educating the whole child.
It's important for them to have the academics but it's
also equally important to have the mental health and the
resilience you need to be a successful adult.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Absolutely, and I will say that just firsthand. I have
seen my kids who have both gone through threes and
FOURST programs and the teachers, the ones who are outgoing,
the ones who bring out my kids' personalities. I mean,
I definitely saw the difference. Were in probably three or
four different programs throughout their time, and you can definitely
(11:05):
see the difference. So I think it is so important
to do your research. And I'm so happy to have
had you on the show today with me. I'm Michelle Jerson.
The Passport Mommy More coming.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Up in a few.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
You're listening to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson. And if
you're a parent, you know that the birth of a
child is a joyous occasion for the entire family. However,
for the families of the more than forty thousand American
babies born each year with congenital heart disease, it can
also bring fear and uncertainty. And there's multiple types of
(11:38):
congenital heart disease, and for families affected by a PhD diagnosis,
they may not be fully aware of the treatments and
the innovations in pediatric cardiac care. And I'm always thrilled
to have somebody on the show with me from CHOPP
from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, because they have a
renowned program there and amazing physicians who can really do
(11:58):
incredible things before even your baby is born. So I'm
so happy to have on the show with me today,
doctor Matthew Elias. Hi, doctor Elias, thank you for joining me.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Oh, good morning, Thank you much for having me. It's
great to be here.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
My pleasure. So how many babies each year are born
with congenital heart disease and do we know why?
Speaker 3 (12:18):
Well, congenital heart heart disease that children are born with
occurs far more often than many realize. It's the most
common birth defect in the United States. It occurs in
about one in every one hundred and ten babies. That
leads to about forty thousand babies per year in the
United States, and about twenty five percent one in four
of those babies born with heart disease have a critical form,
(12:40):
which generally means that they're going to need intervention in
the first year of life. As far as why, we
have some of those answers, and I'm sure we're going
to continue to expand our understanding knowledge and time. But
some forms are associated with known genetic conditions, but others
are sporadic and random without a clear identifiable risk factor.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Interesting, and so how are heart defects diagnosed and treated?
Speaker 3 (13:05):
More and more forms of congenital heart disease are now
being diagnosed before birth that routinely occurs during the twenty
week approximately anatomy ultrasounds that families will have when they're
often anxious to find out the gender of their child,
and the anatomy of their child, including their heart, is
closely examined. Sometimes babies are not diagnosed until after birth,
(13:27):
and all babies should be receiving a newborn screening for
heart disease, which includes checking their oxygen level to make
sure it's within a normal range. And sometimes children not
diagnosed until later on with different symptoms that it could
occur or abnormal examination findings.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
And when you mentioned symptoms, what kind of symptoms could
be signs of a heart problem and.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
A child, Well, it's a challenge because symptoms such as
chest pain or maybe fainting are quite common in children
and they generally do not mean that a child has heart disease,
but they always require an evaluation by primary care provider
can help families determine if the issues are concerning and
if they require pietric cardiology evaluation. But some specific forms,
(14:07):
specific types. Symptoms might include chest pain, particularly if chest
pain occurs during exertion, recess gym sports. Palpitations need a
sudden onset of a faster heart rate or maybe a
faster heart rate out of proportion to the level activity
that child is doing. Fainting, which sometimes can be innocent,
and really the treatment there might be increase hydration, but
(14:28):
if fainting occurs during sports, that's very concerning, and especially
if it occurs suddenly without warning.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Yeah, and so is there anything that children can do
to improve their heart health?
Speaker 3 (14:39):
Absolutely, there are several ways in which children with heart
disease or without heart disease can improve their heart health
and the short term and the long term it's really
things that we should all be doing in adulthood too.
Heart healthy diets theme about fruits and vegetables and avoiding
high sugar, high saturate of fat, and it's specifically for
children exercise and play. So the American Academy of Pediatrics
(15:00):
recommends children over six years old have at least one
hour of exercise or activity having fun every day and
decrease in that screen time.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Should have a healthy weight.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
Make sure they're getting enough sleep, make sure that everyone
has their routine medical care, including a cholesterol check between
nine and eleven years old. And we're always talking about
avoiding drugs and alcohol and tobacco, but we need to
be wary of energy drinks as well, which are not
recommended in our children exactly.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
And you mentioned sleep because I feel like it is
so important, especially for young kids, to make sure they
get enough sleep. And sometimes there's just so much to
do in a day, especially if their school activities are
packed in after their school day. So how do you
advise that we make sure that we're hitting on all
those buttons that you mentioned.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
I think that's such a challenge. I say that as
a position, but also as a parent, just for myself
making sure I have adequate sleep and sleep hygiene, but
knowing that this is true for adults as well. But
you can't necessarily get everything done in one day, but
prioritizing what needs to get done, so for our children,
their homework of course, make sure that they're doing that first,
(16:06):
and it's so important to have extracurricular activities, but making
sure that we're not overdoing it, to make sure that
we have enough time in the day to eat healthy meals,
to eat dinner, to go to sleep at a normal time,
and we're not staying up so late at night doing
our homework and then exhausted the next day. Right.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Excellent, excellent advice. So what do you think about the
future for cardiac treatment and interventions.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
I think the future is so bright. We now have
treatment options for conditions that used to be sadly fatal
and not too long ago. Manimally invasive procedures now, such
as cardiac catheterizations are becoming more common for certain forms
of heart disease and often replacing forms of open heart surgery.
There have been advances in were needle care, fetal diagnoses,
(16:51):
and even in some cases some interventions before birth, which
is incredible. There have been advanced imaging techniques, some three
D modeling that I think is so important to improve
our understanding of each child's individual heart condition and when
used appropriately and further research is definitely necessary. I think
there's going to be a role in some way for
artificial intelligence in medicine and pietric cardiology. But for many reasons,
(17:15):
I am so optimistic for the future, and we're going
to continue to expand your understanding knowledge of conjeneral heart
disease to improve the lives of our children.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Absolutely. Well, thank you so much for all that you
are doing in all of your colleagues at CHOP. It's
really an incredible program. Where can we go for more information?
Speaker 3 (17:31):
Well, thank you. Listeners can learn more at our website
which is chop cchop dot edu slash heart terrific.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
Thank you so much, doctor Matthew Alias. I appreciate you
joining me today on Passport Mommy.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
It's give my pleasure.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Thank you. I'm Michelle Jerson. More coming up in a
few you're listening to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson and
I am so happy to have our next guest on
this show. Her name is Shoshanna Gleish and she is
performing in Susicle the Musical with Epic Players, which was
such a fun show. We went to see it last week.
(18:09):
She plays the cat in the hat, which was just
awesome and I don't want to give it away, but
I just will a tiny bit. She comes out on
roller skates, So that's like the setting of the show
that sets it up on just how much fun the
show ends up being. Shoshana, thank you so much for
joining me today.
Speaker 5 (18:28):
Oh, thank you Michelle for having me here on the show.
I'm so appreciative.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Let's talk about Susical the musical at first, and just
give us a brief synopsis of what it's about and
what ages you think this show is perfect for.
Speaker 5 (18:40):
Susicle is about for me personally, it's about the preservation
of imagination, of childhood, of embracing the child within, about
you know, I, as the cat in the hat, am
encouraging Jojo, the young girl in this uh to to
(19:05):
embrace her imagination.
Speaker 6 (19:06):
She has a great imagination.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
And there's this conflict where her parents are you know,
wanting her to.
Speaker 6 (19:15):
You know, not do that and and to you know, go.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
To school and and anyway.
Speaker 6 (19:21):
So I for me, I see it as.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
The uh you know, of really really loving that part
of ourselves that is the child, that is the you
know that the is the imagination.
Speaker 6 (19:33):
Yes, yes, that that's what the story is for me.
Speaker 5 (19:37):
I it's also you know, has a message of you know,
just loving all people, you know, no matter how small
or you know, different, or you know they are.
Speaker 6 (19:48):
There's that message as well in the story.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
I Love That and the song that like no matter
how small people are people in the and my guess
came home singing that the next day and it really
resonated with them.
Speaker 5 (20:02):
Beautiful, beautiful. Oh how special that is and how important
that is?
Speaker 1 (20:07):
Yes, for sure. So let's talk about Epic players because
this theater group is also really special. How long have
you been performing with them?
Speaker 4 (20:19):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (20:19):
Good question? Okay, so you know it's so interesting, I
asked them. When did I begin with them? I think
it was I started to get involved with Epic. I
believe it was around twenty eighteen, twenty seventeen or twenty eighteen,
But I didn't really start getting into doing the shows.
Speaker 6 (20:40):
With them for a while. It took me a while.
Speaker 5 (20:44):
So Susicle is my second main stage show with Epic.
Speaker 6 (20:51):
You know.
Speaker 5 (20:52):
Yeah, I did Spring Awakening and then and then Now
and then I got cast as the lead in Susicle.
Speaker 6 (21:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (21:00):
Yeah, So, but I would say I started to learn
about Epic around twenty seventeen, twenty eighteen, as I personally.
I had my own television show at that time for
Manhattan Neighborhood Network, and I was specializing on having people
with disabilities on my show. And at the gym that
(21:25):
I worked out at, Michelle, there was a young woman,
Samantha Ellasofon, who I just thought was incredible. She was
this woman in my class's daughter, and she was on
the spectrum, I found out, and I was just so
taken by her, and so it just brought my attention
to Epic because she was part of Epic. And then
(21:48):
I realized I am also neurodivergent. So I ended up
auditioning and got in.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
Amazing. Yeah, let's back up for a minute. So tell
me about Epic players and the premise behind the theater
group and how they started.
Speaker 6 (22:05):
Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, good question.
Speaker 5 (22:09):
Also, so I believe the emphasis is again neurodiververgent players,
you know, people that are on the spectrum and my
my challenges. I I may have I never got a
test for autism, but I probably was. But I also
(22:29):
had a traumatic brain injury which changed my whole chemistry
of my brain and so.
Speaker 6 (22:37):
And I fit in. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
So, but that's I think the premise is yeah, that
with EPIC, it's it's people on the spectrum. They also
accept people, you know, of other disabilities, you know, or
I say disabilities because I often th Hi s has
often you develop other incredible abilites when you have you know,
(23:02):
are dealing with the disability. So but yeah, so there
are people that are hard of hearing in the in
the in the theater company. There are people that you know,
have site issues they can't see, and so it's different,
you know, uh, cerebral palsy, you know, different things like that, right, Yeah,
(23:29):
And I'm trying to think what I'm not I'm not
completely sure of the story of how it began. I
believe it is Aubrey Therian who who started it, and
I simply heard his story Michelle that that but I
don't know if this is correct or not. But I
(23:50):
had heard a story that that she had, you know,
people in her family or was exposed to people with
disabilities and it just upset her so terribly that you know,
they didn't have special care and so and she started
she started the theater company.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Yeah, and you know what, And I just think that's
so amazing because I work with somebody who has a
son who has disabilities, and she got him into theater
and she said that at first it was really hard
to find him a theater group that would take him
on and realize his abilities and how amazing he could
be for the show and how amazed you know, all
(24:29):
like you just mentioned the things, the attributes that he
could bring and how wonderful theater was for him, and
then she found him a group that included him, and
she just talked about the impact that theater makes. And
I think it's just an incredible thing to give to
a child, is to allow them or an adult to
be part of a theater group, because I think that
(24:52):
just brings together everyone and the arts just bring out
so much talent in each individual.
Speaker 5 (24:59):
Yes, definitely, definitely, yeah. And I think like Susicle fits
with that whole message because Susical is all about the
imagination and the you know, the great gift and beauty
of imagination.
Speaker 6 (25:12):
So I see that, you know, it so fits.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
With you know, just Epic exactly. And I was I
was reading that Epic does at least two shows a
year and they also do too original works per year.
Speaker 5 (25:29):
Mmm mm hmmmm hmmm, yeah, right, I mean, I uh yeah,
I actually had one of my original works that I
wrote in Epic you know, they had they did a
special like new Directors, New Writers, uh like program. So yes, yes,
(25:52):
and they're wanting to do more of that, more original works,
which is an incredible uh thing and great, you know,
an incredible opportunity for artists. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Yeah, and you do it at venues like Joe's pub
right then the Buck here at Lincoln Center. I mean,
how amazing is that amazing?
Speaker 6 (26:13):
It really is?
Speaker 5 (26:14):
Yes, yes, absolutely, yeah, they do where people share their
monologues from their you know, different stories that they've brit
in creative works.
Speaker 6 (26:23):
Yes, so yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
I just think it's it's incredible to bring so many
different people together who are so talented, and you know,
I think like for us, it was our first time
attending a show put on by Neurodivergent community, and we'll
definitely be back to see others because it was amazing
and my kids loved it. So I think it's so
(26:48):
good that you do this and it and people could
be exposed to this who maybe would not have attended
a show before, didn't even know it existed.
Speaker 5 (26:57):
Yeah right, absolutely, oh yeah, and you know Epic shows.
My two experiences with being in their shows. They are
so professional and put so much love and care into
their work. It's just been phenomenal, really phenomenal to work
(27:19):
with them.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
And yeah, yeah, So what's been your favorite thing about
being part of the Epic players?
Speaker 6 (27:28):
What's been my favorite? Oh, my goodness, my favorite thing.
Oh my god.
Speaker 5 (27:34):
There's so many things that I'm just so in love
with about Epic. I love I love the sensitivity, the care,
the and it mixed with the professionalism and the creativity,
you know, and but the but the level of the
(27:54):
shows I mean, yeah, that they produce is just phenomenal,
you know, And and I love that they provide Also,
one of the things that's been so helpful to me
is they provide mentors for players, and that's made a
such a big difference to be able to work with
(28:15):
someone one on one to address my particular challenges and
to help me overcome what stopped me in the past
from stepping through as an artist. So yeah, so I
find that to be that's been personally definitely a favorite
of mine, as the one on one mentorship that they
(28:36):
provide for for each of the players.
Speaker 6 (28:39):
Yeah, awesome, you know, awesome help.
Speaker 5 (28:42):
Because my mentor, you know, I was ready to say
no to these opportunities, which was a pattern of mine, right,
and my mentor said this, you know, really helped me
to see Shashana, this is a professional show that you
will have an opportunity to share your gifts in. And
they really encouraged me to say yes for the auditions
and then to say yes when I was cast. So yeah,
(29:06):
So that's a definite favorite of mine.
Speaker 6 (29:09):
And the players.
Speaker 5 (29:12):
Are also just a great you know, a bunch of
people that are so again, very sensitive and caring, really beautiful,
beautiful souls. So yeah, so I just that's another, you know,
one of my favorites of epic.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
Yeah, and I think their mission and what they're doing
is amazing because I was reading that individuals living with
developmental disabilities are often underpaid and underrepresented in the workplace
that the Department of Labor reports and only thirty two
percent of eligible working age individuals with disabilities are employed.
And in the entertainment industry, only two percent of roles
(29:55):
are written for characters living with the disability, and of
those roles, ninety four percent are played by able bodied
or neurotypical actors. So representation is important. What they're doing
to get that message out and to also work with
everybody who's in the cast is amazing.
Speaker 5 (30:13):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely it is. It is so incredible and
I'm especially grateful. Also on another note, is that you
know that they cast me as the cat in the
hat and I'm I am, you know, older than most
of the players, So you're really inclusive in in that,
(30:33):
Like I'm one of the oldest of the of the
members in the in the in the cast, you know,
in players. So just feel very grateful that they all
in all arenas they're they're just inclusive.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
Yeah. And I thought the parts, I mean, everybody who
played their particular part I think was such a great
fit for that role. So I think they did an
amazing job casting it. And so what for those who
are going to go catch Suscle the musical because it
is playing through Sunday, where can they go for information
(31:10):
to get their tickets, to get more information about Epic Players.
Maybe they can't make this particular performance, but so that
we make sure we are notified of future shows.
Speaker 5 (31:19):
Sure, sure, Well there is a website on the you
know that people can look up Epic Players n YC.
And go to the homepage and there's all the information
about epic and you know what's coming up terrific.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Yeah, I'm on Epic Players NYC dot org right now
and I see there's everything it's all about, you know,
the theater group and all the shows that are coming up,
and where can people find you if they'd like to
follow all that you do And we'll be doing.
Speaker 5 (31:46):
On Instagram at Shoshana Gleish it's Shoshana with two ends
and Gleise g l e I c h or at
Shoshana Yawana Productions on YouTube Shoshana Yojana ya Wa Nna
Productions on YouTube.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
And so I just want to say thank you, thank
you so much. What you brought to the role of
the cat and hat was just so fun. And it's like,
I don't think I can go see Shusical the musical
quite honestly without envisioning you as that character because you
were so good. It was such a perfect role for you.
Speaker 6 (32:23):
Oh, thank you so much, Michelle, Thank you, and.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
I look forward to following you and seeing what you
do next. I really appreciate you joining me today on
Passport Mommy Shoshana Gleish.
Speaker 5 (32:33):
Oh, thank you so much, Thank you, Michelle I really
appreciate you having me here.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
You're listening to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson and the
Kentucky Derby is approaching in May, so I'm really happy
to have on this show today. Pete's Kathy Guillermo. She
is going to talk to us about the horse racing industry.
She's the senior VP of People for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals. And did you know that just two years
ago more then a dozen horses died during Triple Crown season,
(33:03):
which prompts a nationwide outcry over the abuse of horses
in the racing industry. Kathy, thank you so much for
joining me today.
Speaker 7 (33:12):
Happy to be here, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
So what's happening in the horse racing industry now and
why should people be concerned?
Speaker 7 (33:20):
Well, those deaths were an indication of what's been going
on for a long time, and they were obviously deeply
upsetting for everybody. We have seen some improvements since then,
not enough, but we do have a federal oversight body
that is trying to regulate the use of medications and
stop illicit and illegal practices in the horse racing industry.
(33:42):
Last year there were many fewer deaths. Fortunately, and we
need to get to the point where there are zero
I think the fundamental issue here is the use of medications.
We know that medications given to horses who are injured
cover up those injuries, and the horses then get out
on a track, they don't show that they might have
a problem, and that's when their bones fracture. So our
(34:06):
plug abuse is the real issue.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
Here, right exactly. And then you know they're drugging these
horses to mask the pain of the injuries, and then
you know, running them through through everything that they need
to do. And then another thing that's really upsetting is
the amount of hours that they spend alone in a
stall as opposed to being out with other horses.
Speaker 7 (34:24):
It's so true, you know. Sometimes I think that the
people in the race and industry, who some of whom
love their horses deeply, and some of whom basically treat
them as though they're just financial commodities, But many times
they all forget that these are animals who are herd
animals who like to be outside, who want to graze,
who want to be with others of their own kind,
and they're denied all this on the racetrack. And many
(34:47):
people don't know that most race horses actually live at racetracks,
sometimes the same track all year long. Sometimes they go
from track to track, but that is month after month,
year after year at a racetrack stall.
Speaker 8 (35:00):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (35:01):
So what can the racing industry do better?
Speaker 7 (35:05):
Well, first of all, they should ban all medication in
the two weeks before a race, because if a horse
needs a painkiller or an anti inflammatory draw, that horse
should not be training or racing. They need to be
allowed time to recuperate. And there are other measures that
they can take too. We know that dirt tracks cause
or let me get the statistics correct, a horse is
(35:25):
dying more frequently on dirt tracks than they do on
synthetic tracks, So all dirt tracks should be switched to
synthetic surfaces. And we need to get a handle on
who's dispensing the medications and why. And one way this
can be done is to follow the example of Hong
Kong Racing, which has the safest record in the world
(35:46):
for horses, and dispense medications only through a central pharmacy
on the track, so that officials can be observing who
gets what and why, rather than by many different veterinarians
who are going to to different clients on the track,
and we'd like to see some high tech implements put
(36:06):
in place. For example, there is a portable CT scan
equipment low radiation horses can be put step they can
step right on it. It can scan the legs they
step right off, and that can tell us if there
are pre existing injuries or of vulnerability in the bone
of the horse. And also I think we just have
(36:27):
to get rid of whipping horses on the track. It
is fortunately limited now. They can't just beat a horse
thirty times going down the stretches. They could in years past.
But nevertheless, we shouldn't be striking horses to make them go.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
Faster, right exactly. And so what can we do personally
to help on our end?
Speaker 7 (36:48):
Well, you know, I think the most important thing is
we head into the Triple Crown season. On May third
is the Kentucky Derby. That's the one day of a
year when many people in America are aware of horse racing,
when most of the rest of them time they don't
even think about it. But as long as horses are dying,
we shouldn't be supporting this industry. So don't turn it
on the TV, you know, do something else. On Saturday,
(37:10):
May third. That is fun and that doesn't involve animals
in that way. Yeah, really don't bet on the on
the horses. There are also actions that can be taken
on our website. We make it easy for people who
are interested to email officials and promote the kind of
change we're talking.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
About, terrific and tell us the website.
Speaker 7 (37:32):
It is PEDA dot org peta dot org, and they
can also see some of the nine different undercover investigations
that we've done, video investigations of the race and industry
where we document much of.
Speaker 6 (37:46):
What I've talked about here.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Terrific. Well, thank you for all of the work you've done.
You've been with PETA for thirty six years, so clearly
you have overseen a lot and unfortunately the release of
multiple horse racing investigations that have exposed the deaths of
young horses at thoroughbred auctions and so much more so,
thank you for your continued work with everything that you're
(38:08):
doing for the horse racing industry and for horses, I
should say not for the industry.
Speaker 7 (38:13):
Thank you. I appreciate that. And change can be slow,
but it does happen. We just got to stick with
it absolutely.
Speaker 1 (38:19):
Thank you so much, Kathy Guiermo. I'm Michelle Jerson. The
Passport Mommy more coming up in a few you're listening
to Passport Mommy, I'm Mischelle Jerson, and if you are
a pet owner, you are going to want to hear
this next segment. Maybe you've heard of canine parvo virus.
It's an often fatal puppy disease and it has the
highest reported outbreak rates in seven states according to new
(38:41):
data from Malanco Animal Health. And some of these states
include California, Texas, Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, and New York.
But just because your state isn't on the list doesn't
mean that your puppy is not at risk. So I'm
really happy to have on the show with me today,
doctor Chris George. He's a VETNA and infectious disease specialists
(39:02):
with Alanco Animal Health. Hi doctor George.
Speaker 8 (39:06):
Hi Michelle, Thank you so much for having me and
helping to spread the awareness of canine parvovirus.
Speaker 1 (39:11):
My pleasure. So tell me what exactly is parvo virus
and what are the signs and symptoms.
Speaker 8 (39:16):
Canon parvavirus, or just parvo for short, is one of
the most common highly contagious and potentially fatal viruses or
diseases that we see in dogs. Now, we can see
it in dogs of any age, but most commonly it's
our puppies or unvaccinated dogs that are are most at risk.
So think dogs around six weeks to six months of
age are most susceptible. Now, the most common symptoms this
(39:39):
is a GI virus or gastrointestinal virus.
Speaker 4 (39:42):
So the most common symptoms we.
Speaker 8 (39:44):
See are things like vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, or lethargy,
which is generally acting sick or tired.
Speaker 1 (39:50):
Can this be avoided?
Speaker 4 (39:52):
It can be avoided. Prevention is maybe a better word.
Speaker 8 (39:57):
So as you mentioned, there are some states where we
see it a little bit more prevalent currently, but I
promise to you this.
Speaker 4 (40:03):
Is in all fifty states.
Speaker 8 (40:04):
So just because your state wasn't listed, it is prevalent
in all fifty states. And prevention is sort of key
with canine parvovirus. We have some great tools for prevention.
First and foremost is vaccines. We have highly effective vaccines
to prevent canine parvovirus, So make sure you talk with
your local veterinarian and keep your dog up to date
(40:25):
on vaccines, or if you're fortunate enough to get that
new family member, that new puppy into your household, make
sure you get into your vet so that they can
start their puppy vaccine series and be protected as soon
as possible. The other part of prevention is avoidance. Now,
if you do have one of those more vulnerable puppies
or unvaccinated dogs, trying to avoid doggy daycares or dog
(40:48):
parks where we see higher populations of dogs and can
see increased exposure risks to parvavirus.
Speaker 1 (40:54):
So how is it spread.
Speaker 8 (40:55):
It's spread through either direct or indirect contact with contaminated feces.
So a dog doesn't necessarily have to go and eat
a whole nother dog's pile of poop, which I know
some of our dogs are guilty of doing, but they
could just simply walk through a contaminated area and then
lick their paws or you and I can actually spread
the virus too.
Speaker 4 (41:14):
It can get on our.
Speaker 8 (41:15):
Shoes, our clothes, our hands, and when our dogs come
and lick or smell us, that can expose them to
the virus as well.
Speaker 4 (41:22):
So again, make sure be a good citizen.
Speaker 8 (41:25):
Pick up after your dog, you know, scoop that poop
and help.
Speaker 4 (41:28):
Limit the spread of canine parvavirus.
Speaker 1 (41:30):
Right, that's excellent advice because you know, you think, oh,
maybe it's just to keep the neighborhood clean, but no,
it is so much more than that.
Speaker 8 (41:36):
Yes, it's not just parvo. There's other parasites and things
that can be spread that way. So you're absolutely right,
it's really important to keep the things clean.
Speaker 1 (41:43):
If by chance, your canine does get parvo. What are
some treatment options?
Speaker 8 (41:48):
So, historically there's not been a targeted treatment for canine parvavirus.
We've been left with just supportive care or symptomatic care.
So what I mean by that is typically ICEE you
are in tensive care in a veterinary hospital to try
and manage the symptoms while letting the virus run its course,
so things like ivy fluids or anti noagea anti vomiting medications.
(42:11):
But fortunately Alenko has come out with a targeted treatment
in the form of canine parvovirus monoclonal antibody or CPMA.
For sure, it's the first and only USDA conditionally approve
targeted treatment for parvo actually binds the virus and neutralizes it,
so we're treating the underlying disease and not just another symptom.
(42:31):
So it can really help puppies feel better, faster and
ultimately get home quicker.
Speaker 1 (42:35):
Oh that's amazing, and so where can somebody get this?
Speaker 8 (42:38):
I want you to visit a great website called stop
parvo dot com and Parvo's paar vo so stopparvo dot
com where you can learn more about knine parvovirus, including
CPMA as a potential treatment option.
Speaker 4 (42:51):
There's also a really cool tool on there called the
Parvo Track. What that is It is a tool where we.
Speaker 8 (42:57):
Can actually identify or track harvo cases down to the
county level, so pet parents can sign up for alerts
and be notified if there is an outbreak in their area.
Speaker 4 (43:07):
They can also report cases.
Speaker 1 (43:09):
That's terrific. Well, thank you so much for all of
the work that you're doing. Because if we do own
a doggie, we want to keep them as healthy as
we can. They are our best friends, right for the
entire family, So thank you so much for all of
your work that you're doing on this. Where can we
also get more information on a Lanco Animal Healthy You.
Speaker 8 (43:27):
Can go to a lanco dot com for more information
on all things Alanco and all the other amazing preventive
medicines and therapeutics that are out there or Stopparvo dot
com is also a great resource again for more detailed
information on parvovirus, including that Parvo Trek tool that's now available.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
Terrific, doctor Chris George, thank you so much for joining
me today on Passport Mommy.
Speaker 4 (43:49):
Yes, thank you Michelle for helping TOUS spread the awareness.
Speaker 1 (43:52):
Thank you so much for listening. I hope you have
a fabulous week.
Speaker 5 (44:00):
O
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