Pediatrix Clinicians in the News

In addition to the highly specialized care our clinicians provide to patients across the country every day, many also serve as go-to expert sources for top national and regional media outlets. Pediatrix® clinicians regularly contribute to news articles, sharing their expertise to help educate readers on popular and trending topics related to women’s and children’s health, as well as unique stories of innovative patient care. 

Here’s a roundup of some of the latest stories:

Chanda Simpson, M.D., neonatologist, spoke with KXAS-TV, the NBC affiliate in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, about the care of micropreemie Iann Ledesma, who was born at 22 weeks weighing just a pound. He spent six months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Cook Children’s Medical Center, overcoming all odds thanks to a team effort among doctors, hospital staff and his parents. "I always describe to everyone involved in the care of these babies that you know, kind of think of it as a wheel, and the baby is in the middle of that wheel,” said Dr. Simpson. “We're all spokes, kind of bringing it all together,” said Dr. Simpson. Now a year old, Iann is flourishing.

Chris Klunk, M.D., neonatologist, spoke with Parents about crawling, an exciting milestone in a baby’s development. “We start to see the building blocks of crawling in the four-to-seven-month window as babies gain control over their bodies,” said Dr. Klunk. He touched on different crawling techniques, noting that all are suitable ways to move about. “What’s important to remember is that all these approaches to getting around are developmentally appropriate, and equally cute,” said Dr. Klunk. “As long as they are coordinating both sides of their bodies and using both arms and both legs equally, they will continue to explore the world and progress in their movement skills.”  

Suzy Lipinski, M.D., obstetrician-gynecologist (OBGYN), spoke with Women’s Health about how to choose a pregnancy pillow for added sleep support. When shopping, consider the size, shape and firmness. A pillow with a removable, washable cover is also ideal. “It’s possible you will sweat, go into labor or even leak breast milk while using the pillow, meaning you want yours to be as wash friendly as possible," said Dr. Lipinski. She noted that some covers are made with silver fibers, which are antimicrobial and reduce the need to wash as frequently.

Anushka Chelliah, M.D., maternal-fetal medicine specialist, spoke with Babylist about preeclampsia, a pregnancy condition that is characterized by high blood pressure. Dr. Chelliah shared that symptoms usually start after the 20th week of pregnancy. "There may be new onset elevated blood pressure greater than 140 mmHg systolic or 90 mmHg diastolic after 20 weeks gestation," said Dr. Chelliah. Unless you already had high blood pressure before getting pregnant, then your readings during pregnancy should be within that normal range, she said.

Bradley Buckler, M.D., neonatologist, spoke with WTOC-TV, the CBS affiliate in Savannah, Georgia, about the care of micropreemie Blake Koch, who was born in 2019 at 24 weeks weighing less than a pound. At the time, she was the smallest baby cared for in the NICU at the Children's Hospital of Savannah, where she spent the first five months of her life. “We say every day is life and death in the NICU, and that really is truth, and we don’t take that lightly,” said Dr. Buckler. “We understand that we are holding someone’s baby in our hands trying to provide the best care we can, and to be able to see the outcome of that, to be able to see how well these babies do long term is really just tremendous,” said Dr. Buckler. Today, Blake is a thriving five-year-old. 

Todd Zimmerman, D.O., pediatric emergency medicine physician, spoke with Parents about Granny’s Purse Syndrome, which refers to young kids getting into their grandparents’ medication, which is often unsecured. “In the pediatric ER, we see children rather frequently because they got into grandparents' medications,” said Dr. Zimmerman. “Most commonly, we see kids getting into blood pressure medications, pain medications and/or oral hypoglycemic medications – but this is certainly not limited to just these medications,” he said. 

Suzanne Bovone, M.D., OBGYN, spoke with SheKnows about how to navigate the first few years of a teen’s menstrual cycle. OBGYNs can be a helpful resource to start with. “I go over genital anatomy with my patients all the time,” said Dr. Bovone. “I’ll have them hold a mirror so they can see their body as we go over proper anatomical terms.” Once they’re more comfortable, discussing period product options doesn’t feel as overwhelming. “Teens can use pads, tampons, cups and discs from the first period. It’s about being aware of one’s anatomy.”

To view additional stories, visit the Pediatrix newsroom. 

Members of the media, we invite you to view our multispecialty media panel and request an expert source via email.