Teachers, Toddlers, and Tissues : Candid Conversations on Health and Child Care
The Teachers, Toddlers, and Tissues podcast 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.
In each podcast episode,
well-known 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 early childhood care & education providers.
Teachers, Toddlers, and Tissues 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.
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Episode Three: From Pollen to Peanuts: Allergies 101
Episode 03: From Pollen to Peanuts: Allergies 101
Just over one-quarter of children in the United States have at least one allergic condition of some type. But the effects of allergies on kids are not equal — the severity of an allergy can range from a kid needing their nose wiped to needing an Epi-pen administered immediately…and everything in-between. Today we’re talking about allergies: indoor, outdoor, food allergies, and irritants. We’re going to discuss what an allergy is, what are possible symptoms of one, and how to help manage them.
Episode Two: Infant Feeding

Episode 02: Infant Feeding
How can you tell if an infant is getting enough to eat? How can you tell if you’ve given too much? Can you overfeed a baby? What’s the difference between spit-up and an allergy? What is the best kind of milk for a baby? Rachel and Dr. Navsaria break down everything you ever wanted to know about feeding our littlest ones, and more.
Episode One: The Common Cold
Episode 01: The Common Cold
What temperature is considered a fever? Does mucus color matter? Is a cough always worrisome? In the first episode of Teachers, Toddlers, and Tissues, Rachel and Dr. Navsaria take a deep dive into one of the most frequent health issues seen in early childhood. We cover what the common cold looks like in young children, how to thoughtfully approach the symptoms you might be faced with, and when it’s time to call parents.
Trailer: Teachers, Toddlers, and Tissues
Trailer: Teachers, Toddlers, and Tissues
Join us as we take a deep dive into the sticky, icky world where ECE and illness meet! Hosts Rachel Giannini and Dr. Dipesh Navsaria discuss how ECE providers 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 more confident child care providers in the process.
Check back soon for more Teachers, Toddlers and Tissues!
About
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.