A Dose of Optimism

What does healing look like beyond the medical chart? In this episode, two practitioners at Children's Hospital Los Angeles share how art, music, and virtual reality are playing meaningful roles in pediatric care, not as extras, but as essential parts of the patient experience.Nicole Albers, art therapist and Team Lead for the Mark Taper – Johnny Mercer Artists Program at CHLA, explains how art and music therapy meet children where they are, giving hospitalized kids a sense of power and control in an environment where almost everything else is decided for them. From lullabies customized to a parent's Spotify playlist to narrative art therapy that lets a child explore fear through a story about a tiny mouse, the work is as varied as the patients it serves.Dr. Joseph Miller, Interventional Radiologist at CHLA, shares how virtual reality is changing the procedural experience for pediatric patients, reducing the need for full anesthesia in certain procedures, easing anxiety, and allowing his team to serve patients they previously would have had to turn away.Together, they offer a picture of a hospital that treats the whole child, not just the diagnosis.Connect with Nicole Albers:Nicole Albers LinkedInMark Taper – Johnny Mercer Artists ProgramConnect with Dr. Joseph Miller:Dr. Joseph Miller CHLAConnect with us:KidsX WebsiteKidsX LinkedInChildren's Hospital L.A. WebsiteChildren's Hospital L.A. InstagramChildren's Hospital L.A. LinkedIn

Some of the most common conditions affecting children today remain among the most underserved, and some of the rarest are only just beginning to be understood. In this episode, four innovators share how they are rethinking the diagnosis, treatment, and access pathways for pediatric chronic conditions.Dr. Jonathan Santoro, pediatric neurologist at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, shares his research on a newly identified condition in people with Down syndrome, a regression syndrome that was misdiagnosed for decades and is now showing meaningful response to immunotherapy in clinical trials.Dr. Alesandro Larrazabal and Christina LaMontagne, co-founders of Clarity Pediatrics, describe how their telehealth platform is working to close the chronic care gap in ADHD, anxiety, and pediatric obesity, conditions that affect millions of children but face severe shortages of specialist access, particularly in Medicaid communities.Matt Willis, Co-Founder of Attuned Intelligence, explains how an AI-powered voice agent is helping federally qualified health centers and safety net providers ensure that every patient call gets answered, starting with the front door of healthcare and building toward broader automation.Episode Resources:NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scale—PARENT InformantEpic Integration with Attuned IntelligenceConnect with Dr. Jonathan Santoro:Dr. Jonathan Santoro LinkedInDr. Jonathan Santoro CHLAConnect with Clarity Pediatrics:Alesandro Larrazabal LinkedInChristina LaMontagne LinkedInClarity Pediatrics WebsiteClarity Pediatrics LinkedInClarity Pediatrics InstagramConnect with Matt Willis:Matt Willis LinkedInAttuned Intelligence WebsiteAttuned Intelligence LinkedInConnect with us:KidsX WebsiteKidsX LinkedInChildren's Hospital L.A. WebsiteChildren's Hospital L.A. InstagramChildren's Hospital L.A. LinkedIn

The neonatal intensive care unit is one of medicine's most remarkable achievements, and one of its most persistent challenges. In this episode of Dose of Optimism, three innovators share how they are working to improve care for some of the most vulnerable patients in healthcare: premature and critically ill newborns.Dean Koch, CEO at smallTalk, explains how a sensor-equipped pacifier and a speaker device are being used to explore whether contingent voice interaction, where an infant controls when they hear their parent's voice, may support early brain development in the NICU environment.Saheel Sutaria, CTO and co-founder of Gravitas Medical, describes how a sensorized feeding tube is working to address one of the most common and potentially dangerous challenges in neonatal care: safely placing and monitoring enteral feeding tubes in tiny patients.Ross Sommers, CEO and founder of Firstday Healthcare and a practicing neonatologist, shares how his company is building a tech-enabled care model that supports NICU families through the transition home, filling a gap that leaves many parents feeling suddenly alone after weeks or months of intensive hospital care.Together, they paint a picture of a field on the move, where better data, smarter devices, and more connected care models are beginning to reshape what's possible for premature babies and their families.Connect with Dean Koch:Dean Koch LinkedInsmallTalk WebsitesmallTalk LinkedInsmallTalk InstagramConnect with Saheel Sutaria:Saheel Sutaria LinkedInGravitas Medical WebsiteGravitas Medical LinkedInConnect with Ross Sommers:Ross Sommers LinkedInFirstday Healthcare WebsiteFirstday Healthcare LinkedInConnect with us:KidsX WebsiteKidsX LinkedInChildren's Hospital L.A. WebsiteChildren's Hospital L.A. InstagramChildren's Hospital L.A. LinkedIn

Healthcare has a habit of overlooking the obvious. In this episode, three innovators share how they are addressing some of medicine's most persistent blind spots, from a vital organ that has gone unmonitored for decades, to a fragmented system failing new mothers, to the children whose voices rarely shape the digital tools built for them.Todd Dunn, CEO of Accuryn Medical, shares why the kidney remains one of the least monitored organs in acute care settings, and how better real-time data could support clinical teams managing critically ill patients. He also introduces the concept of "think flow" (understanding how clinicians think, not just how they work), as a foundation for meaningful healthcare innovation.Melissa Hanna, CEO and co-founder of Mahmee, explains how her company is working to improve the fragmented experience of pregnancy and postpartum care in the United States, where maternal outcomes remain among the worst in the developed world. From doula support to remote patient monitoring, Mahmee aims to connect the dots across an often-disjointed episode of care.Michael Preston, Executive Director of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, reflects on what it means to design technology truly centered on children, including why kids themselves should have a seat at the design table, and how Sesame Street continues to help families make sense of a rapidly changing world, including AI.Episode Resources:Competing Against Luck: The Story of Innovation and Customer ChoiceResponsible Innovation in Technology for Children (RITEC)LitLab.ai — curriculum-aligned decodables and fluency practice!AI and Us | Digital Well-being - Sesame Workshop YouTubeConnect with Todd Dunn:Todd Dunn LinkedInAccuryn Medical WebsiteAccuryn Medical LinkedInAccuryn Medical InstagramConnect with Melissa Hanna:Melissa Hanna LinkedInMahmee WebsiteMahmee LinkedInMahmee InstagramConnect with Michael Preston:Michael Preston - Executive Director of the Joan Ganz Cooney CenterMichael Preston LinkedInThe Joan Ganz Cooney Center WebsiteThe Joan Ganz Cooney Center LinkedInSesame Workshop WebsiteSesame Workshop InstagramConnect with us:KidsX WebsiteKidsX LinkedInChildren's Hospital L.A. WebsiteChildren's Hospital L.A. Instagram

Children’s mental health challenges are rising worldwide, yet access to effective care remains limited. In this episode, we explore new approaches to pediatric mental health with three leaders working to expand access and improve outcomes.Kristina Saffran, CEO of Equip, explains why eating disorders are one of the most misunderstood public health crises affecting children and adults, and how evidence-based family-based treatment can dramatically improve recovery when delivered earlier and more broadly.Dana Klein, co-founder of Gheorg, shares how a new generation of child-centered digital tools is helping children ages 7–12 build emotional resilience, develop coping skills, and identify mental health challenges before they escalate.Sophia Waitt, Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, adds the perspective of a therapist working directly with teens and young adults, discussing the mental health impact of social media, identity pressure, and digital environments on developing minds.Together, the conversation explores how innovation, technology, and early intervention can help address one of the most urgent pediatric health challenges of our time.Episode Resources:National Alliance For Eating DisordersDr Louise Metcalf, Gheorg Founder & PsychologistSocial media ban in AustraliaConnect with Kristina Saffran:Kristina Saffran LinkedInEquip WebsiteEquip LinkedInEquip InstagramConnect with Dana Klein:Dana Klein LinkedInGheorg WebsiteGheorg LinkedInGheorg InstagramConnect with Sophia Watt:Sophia Waitt - Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, AMFTSophia Waitt LinkedInKincove WebsiteKincove LinkedInKincove InstagramConnect with us:KidsX WebsiteKidsX LinkedInChildren's Hospital L.A. WebsiteChildren's Hospital L.A. InstagramChildren's Hospital L.A. LinkedIn

Canadian healthcare innovators are proving that optimism, data, and thoughtful technology can reshape pediatric care. In this episode, three leading physician-innovators share how digital health, artificial intelligence, and smarter care models are transforming outcomes for children and families.Dr. Shazhan Amed discusses how her startup Haibu Health is using digital health platforms and data integration to improve the lives of children living with type 1 diabetes, reduce hospitalizations, and support care across the entire lifespan.Dr. Joshua Liu, CEO at SeamlessMD, explores the evolving landscape of AI in healthcare, from the rapid rise of AI scribes to the next generation of tools focused on care delivery, workflow automation, and patient engagement.Dr. Devin Singh, Founder & CEO Hero AI, shares groundbreaking work using real-time AI models in the pediatric emergency department to accelerate diagnoses, reduce wait times, and improve care for vulnerable populations.Together, they offer an optimistic perspective on how Canada’s healthcare ecosystem is driving meaningful innovation in pediatric care.Episode Resources:Scribe - Smarter documentation software, powered by AIRevolutionize how you write text - AI SidekickConnect with Dr. Shazhan Amed:Dr. Shazhan Amed LinkedInHaibu Health WebsiteHaibu Health LinkedInDr. Shazhan Amed BC Children’s Hospital Research InstituteLive 5210 - BC Children's Hospital Research InstituteConnect with Dr. Joshua Liu:Dr. Joshua Liu LinkedInSeamlessMD WebsiteSeamlessMD LinkedInSeamlessMD InstagramConnect with Dr. Devin Singh:Hero AI WebsiteThe Hospital for Sick Children WebsiteThe Hospital for Sick Children LinkedInThe Hospital for Sick Children InstagramDr. Devin Singh LinkedInConnect with us:KidsX WebsiteKidsX LinkedInChildren's Hospital L.A. WebsiteChildren's Hospital L.A. InstagramChildren's Hospital L.A. LinkedIn

Pediatric sleep care is undergoing a transformation, from hospital-based sleep labs to home-based, data-driven insights.In this episode, Dr. Eugene Kim and Conner Herman, explore how wearable technology and environmental behavioral sensors are reshaping how we understand children’s sleep. Dr. Eugene Kim shares how Apple Watch–based data collection could help identify sleep apnea risk before anesthesia, potentially reducing ICU admissions, shortening surgical delays, and improving perioperative safety. Meanwhile, Conner Herman explains how Percy uses multi-sensor fusion to objectively measure sleep behaviors at home, especially for children with autism and chronic conditions.Together, they reimagine pediatric sleep from two complementary perspectives: risk stratification before surgery and behavioral pattern detection in real-world environments The result is better data, less guesswork, fewer unnecessary medications, and earlier intervention. This episode dives into pediatric sleep innovation, anesthesia safety, behavioral health, and the future of home-based diagnostics for children.Episode Resources:Estimating Breathing Disturbances and Sleep Apnea Risk from Apple WatchAmerican Academy of Sleep Medicine | AASM | Medical SocietyConnect with Dr. Eugene Kim:Eugene Kim, MD CHLACHLA and Apple Watch ProjectThe Division of Pain Medicine CHLADepartment of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine CHLAVirtual Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (vPICU)Connect with Conner Herman:Conner Herman LinkedInPercy WebsitePercy LinkedInPercy InstagramConnect with us:KidsX WebsiteKidsX LinkedInChildren's Hospital L.A. WebsiteChildren's Hospital L.A. InstagramChildren's Hospital L.A. LinkedInLearn more about Make March Matter:Make March MatterThe 11th Annual Make March Matter CampaignMake March Matter contributors:Alfred CoffeeRandy's DonutsPanda ExpressKatana LASushi Rokuh.wood GroupDelilah Los AngelesNice Guy Restaurant

What does a “moonshot” look like in pediatric healthcare?In this episode, three visionary leaders share how artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and consumer-grade design thinking are transforming care for children worldwide.Dr. Timothy Chou introduces the Pediatric Moonshot, a global effort to deploy privacy-preserving AI across 500 children’s hospitals to reduce healthcare inequity and improve outcomes through patient digital twins. Prof Iain Hennessey explores how quantum computing could revolutionize scheduling, imaging, and diagnostics, positioning hospitals today for breakthroughs 7–10 years from now. Aaron Patzer, Founder and CEO of Vital.io, shares how consumer product design principles are improving emergency care, eliminating friction, and transforming patient experience at scale.This conversation looks beyond incremental change, and into the future of pediatric medicine.Episode Resources:BevelCloud - Empowering the Future of Distributed AIConnect with Dr. Timothy Chou:Dr. Timothy Chou LinkedInPediatric Moonshot WebsitePediatric Moonshot LinkedInPediatric Moonshot PodcastConnect with Prof Iain Hennessey:Prof Iain Hennessey LinkedInAlder Hey Innovation WebsiteAlder Hey Innovation LinkedInConnect with Aaron Patzer:Aaron Patzer LinkedInVital.io WebsiteVital.io LinkedinIntuit, Inc. (Intuit, QuickBooks, QB, TurboTax, ProConnect, and Mint)Make March MatterConnect with us:KidsX WebsiteKidsX LinkedInChildren's Hospital L.A. WebsiteChildren's Hospital L.A. InstagramChildren's Hospital L.A. LinkedIn

What if pediatric procedures could be less painful, less invasive, and safer for long-term health?In this episode, three leading physician-scientists from Children's Hospital Los Angeles share how breakthrough technologies are transforming children’s medicine.Dr. Jeffrey I. Gold explains how immersive virtual reality reduces pain, anxiety, and even eliminates sedation for certain procedures. Dr. John Wood discusses how low-field MRI is reducing radiation exposure and anesthesia in pediatric imaging. And Dr. James Amatruda reveals how zebrafish models are accelerating cancer research and improving outcomes for children with rare tumors.From bedside innovation to cutting-edge research labs, this conversation explores how technology is reshaping pediatric care, today and for the future.Episode Resources:MAGNETOM Free.Max (wide bore mri)CHLA Researcher Uses Low-Field MRI to Assess Lung Capacity in Children With Single Ventricle HeartsFluoroscopyMR fluoroscopyUSC Viterbi School of EngineeringKrishna Garikipati - USC Viterbi School of EngineeringChing-Ling (Ellen) Lien, PhDConnect with Dr. Jeff Gold:Jeff Gold Children's Hospital Los AngelesJeff Gold LinkedinConnect with Dr. John Wood:John Wood Children's Hospital Los Angeles Connect with Dr. James Amatruda:Dr. James Amatruda Children's Hospital Los AngelesDr. James Amatruda LinkedInAmatruda Lab Children's Hospital Los AngelesConnect with us:KidsX WebsiteKidsX LinkedInChildren's Hospital L.A. WebsiteChildren's Hospital L.A. InstagramChildren's Hospital L.A. LinkedIn

In this episode, we explore how pediatric healthcare leaders are redesigning systems to prevent harm before it happens.Anne Lyren, Chief Medical and Strategy Officer of the Solutions for Patient Safety (SPS) Network, explains how children’s hospitals across the country collaborate to reduce serious harm through shared data, transparency, and continuous improvement.Rebecca Egger, CEO of Little Otter, brings a data and mental health lens, discussing why early childhood mental health has long been underestimated and how better data systems can surface risks earlier and more equitably.Manju Dawkins, Founder and CEO of Thimble, challenges long-standing assumptions around pain, fear, and “the way it’s always been done,” sharing how thoughtful design can transform needle procedures and raise the standard of care.Together, this conversation reframes patient safety as a systems problem, one that can be solved through collaboration, empathy, and intentional design.Episode Resources:KidsX x SPS Patient Safety Innovation ChallengeAnna Taddio, Professor - Leslie Dan Faculty of PharmacyConnect with Anne Lyren:Children's Hospitals' Solutions for Patient Safety WebsiteChildren's Hospitals' Solutions for Patient Safety LinkedInAnne Lyren LinkedInConnect with Rebecca Egger:Little Otter - a Hazel Health CompanyLittle Otter LinkedInLittle Otter InstagramRebecca Egger LinkedInConnect with Manju Dawkins:Thimble WebsiteThimble LinkedInThimble InstagramManju Dawkins LinkedInConnect with us:KidsX WebsiteKidsX LinkedInChildren's Hospital L.A. WebsiteChildren's Hospital L.A. InstagramChildren's Hospital L.A. LinkedIn