Teachers, Toddlers, and Tissues: Candid Conversations on Health and Child Care aims to help build early childhood educators’ understanding of, comfort with, and implementation of best health practices for children in keeping with the national Caring for Our Children guidelines authored by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, and National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education.

In each episode, early child care specialist Rachel Giannini and pediatrician Dr. Dipesh Navsaria discuss how early child care educators can improve the health and well-being of the children and families in their daily care, avoid unnecessary health-related exclusions from that care, and become better informed and prepared ECE providers. Teachers, Toddlers, and Tissues aims to address commonly asked questions about health concerns in child care settings, covering topics including viral illness, mental and behavioral health, feeding, children with special needs, cultural diversity and inclusion, referrals to community resources, and so much more.

Series Host Rachel Giannini is a licensed early childhood educator and advocate with over 15 years of hands-on early childhood classroom experience. She has a BA in Early Childhood and American Sign Language from Columbia College, Chicago, and an MFA in Museum Education from the University of Illinois, Chicago. Rachel recently starred in the documentary feature film No Small Matter, the first of its kind to explore early education in America today.

Series Co-Host Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, MPH, MSLIS, MD is an award-winning host, Executive Medical Director of the podcast, a practicing pediatrician in Wisconsin, a Clinical Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at the School of Human Ecology and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the School of Medicine and Public Health, both at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

The Teachers, Toddlers, and Tissues podcast is a production of the Wisconsin Early Childhood Health Consultation program housed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Human Ecology. This podcast is funded by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, and sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Early Childhood.

We offer general guidance on best practices for health and well-being in early childhood settings. Any questions about a specific child should be directed to that child’s primary care medical home. The cases we will discuss do not represent any specific patient or clinician and are either hypothetical or have had details changed for this podcast to ensure confidentiality. The information presented here is for informational purposes and are not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment in any particular clinical case or as a substitute for professional medical education. All opinions expressed belong to the speaker, not their institution, employer, or any podcast or program funders or sponsors.

To learn more, visit our website at www.echc.wisc.edu.