As technology becomes a bigger part of childhood, parenting in a digital age presents new challenges and risks. From video games and smartphones to social media and AI, digital platforms are giving kids more access than ever while also opening doors for online predators, sextortion and overexposure.

In this episode of Hope and Will: A Parenting Podcast from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, we hear from Traci Hurley and Anne Huegel of the Stephanie V. Blank Center for Safe and Healthy Children at Children’s. The conversation breaks down threats kids face in digital spaces and what parents should watch for, including grooming, risks built into online gaming, how AI can be used to exploit photos and why sexting among teens is more common than many realize.

From privacy settings and parental controls to communication tips that actually work, this episode offers real-world tools for handling tech in the home with more confidence and less stress.

Given the mature nature of topics discussed in this episode, listener discretion is advised. This episode discusses sensitive topics that may not be suitable for kids. Parents are encouraged to listen first and use judgment before sharing with others.

For more about this episode and our podcast, visit www.choa.org/podcasts.

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Created by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
www.choa.org

This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be considered medical advice for any particular patient. Clinicians must rely on their own informed clinical judgments when making recommendations for their patients. Patients in need of medical or behavioral advice should consult their family healthcare providers. In the event of an emergency, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency department. Product mentions are not endorsements.

Rural towns across Georgia are home to special, tight-knit communities that fill vital roles in our state economy. Unfortunately, lack of access to high-quality medical care can make it challenging to raise a healthy family in those communities. Together, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Mercer University School of Medicine are on a mission to change that.

Access to quality healthcare in rural areas affects everyone, whether it’s where a family calls home, where their loved ones reside or where they happen to be when an emergency unfolds.

Of the 159 counties in Georgia, 120 are considered rural and more than half of those rural counties do not have a pediatrician practicing within county lines. When a family needs to travel for healthcare needs, it can disrupt everything from the parents’ work to the child’s education. Important checkups and screenings can be missed, and quick access to quality care in the event of an emergency is another story.

That’s why Children’s and Mercer University School of Medicine announced an initiative to improve access to pediatric medical care closer to home for families in rural Georgia. Two years later, programs are underway to increase the pipeline of pediatricians practicing in rural communities, improve the quality of care in rural hospitals, and expand local access to behavioral and mental health support.

In this episode, we’re joined by three special guests—Dean Jean Sumner of Mercer University School of Medicine; Marc Welsh, Vice President of Child Advocacy at Children’s; and Lauren Brooker, a medical school scholarship recipient who plans to start practicing in 2028. Together, they share unique insight into what’s being done to change the trajectory of kids’ health in rural Georgia—and, more importantly, why such efforts are so important.

For more about this episode and our podcast, visit www.choa.org/podcasts.

Follow Children’s:

• Instagram @childrensatl
• Facebook @ChildrensHealthcareofAtlanta
• X @childrensatl

Created by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
www.choa.org

This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be considered medical advice for any particular patient. Clinicians must rely on their own informed clinical judgments when making recommendations for their patients. Patients in need of medical or behavioral advice should consult their family healthcare providers. In the event of an emergency, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency department. Product mentions are not endorsements.

Parents know these panicky moments all too well: a tumble off the couch, a hit on the field, the bonking of heads during a bout of roughhousing. Concussions are more common than many of us realize, and they don’t just happen to athletes.

In this episode, we hear from two parents, Casey and Pete, who each faced scary situations when their kids, a toddler and a teen, experienced head injuries. Their stories kick off a larger conversation with Dr. Andrew Reisner, pediatric neurosurgeon and Medical Director of the Concussion Program at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and Dr. Ashley Brouillette, a pediatric sports medicine physician who treats teen athletes and helps guide their recovery.

We talk about signs to watch for, why vomiting can be a warning sign and what “treatment” looks like for a concussion. From sports risks to recovery tips, and even when to consider pulling a child from contact sports, this episode offers a clear, calm look at what parents need to know and do when head injuries happen.

For more about this episode and our podcast, visit www.choa.org/podcasts.

Follow Children’s:

• Instagram @childrensatl
• Facebook @ChildrensHealthcareofAtlanta
• X @childrensatl

Created by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
www.choa.org

This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be considered medical advice for any particular patient. Clinicians must rely on their own informed clinical judgments when making recommendations for their patients. Patients in need of medical or behavioral advice should consult their family healthcare providers. In the event of an emergency, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency department. Product mentions are not endorsements.