On Call With Dr. Anselm Anyoha

Episode-64-Understanding How Children Experience Parental Loss

In this episode of On Call with Dr. Anselm Anyoha, parents learn how infants and toddlers experience the loss of a father and what they can do to support their child’s emotional well-being. Dr. Anyoha explains that even very young babies notice a parent’s absence through disrupted routines, changes in touch and voice, and the loss of daily interactions. Toddlers may show clinginess, anxiety, sleep disturbances, appetite changes, or regression in developmental milestones such as walking, speaking, or toilet training. The episode highlights practical strategies for caregivers: maintaining routines, offering comfort and reassurance, and spending quality time with the child. Dr. Anyoha emphasizes the importance of professional support from pediatricians or infant mental health specialists to prevent long-term emotional effects. This guide equips parents to recognize early signs of grief in children under 3, provide compassionate care, and help their little ones heal after the loss of a father.

Episode-63-Sudden Arm Pain in Kids? Understanding Nursemaid’s Elbow

In this episode of On Call with Dr. Anselm Anyoha, parents of toddlers learn how to recognize, respond to, and prevent pulled elbow, also known as nursemaid’s elbow. Dr. Anyoha explains that this common injury occurs when the head of the radius slips out of its ligament, causing sudden pain and immobility in a child’s arm. Typical situations include playtime accidents or unintentional tugs by caregivers. The episode details the hallmark signs: a child holding the arm still, refusal to move it, and sudden discomfort without swelling or bruising. Dr. Anyoha emphasizes that nursemaid’s elbow requires clinical treatment—attempting to fix it at home can cause harm. Parents receive guidance on prevention, including safe lifting practices, and reassurance that children recover quickly once properly treated. This episode equips caregivers with knowledge to act promptly and protect their toddlers from injury.

Episode-63-From Playgrounds to Pools: Preventing Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

In this episode of On Call with Dr. Anselm Anyoha, parents of young children learn how to recognize, manage, and prevent hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). Dr. Anyoha explains the hallmark symptoms, including vesicular rashes on the hands, feet, and buttocks, painful mouth sores, mild fever, irritability, and difficulty eating. He discusses how HFMD spreads through close contact, contaminated surfaces, and even swimming pools, and why toddlers and preschoolers are most at risk. Parents receive practical advice on supportive care—hydration, fever management, and comfort measures—while learning when to seek medical attention for complications. The episode also emphasizes prevention strategies such as handwashing, disinfecting common areas, and keeping sick children home from school or daycare. This guide equips parents to protect their children under 13 from a common but usually mild viral illness.

Episode-62-Measles Isn’t Just a Rash: A Pediatrician’s Personal Account

In this episode of On Call with Dr. Anselm Anyoha, parents learn why measles remains a serious threat to young children despite modern medicine. Dr. Anyoha shares his personal “measles memory” from his medical training in Nigeria, where he witnessed children suffer severe complications including pneumonia, dehydration, convulsions, and even death. The episode explains key measles symptoms—fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and the classic body rash—along with warning signs such as Koplik spots. Dr. Anyoha highlights how easily measles spreads and why outbreaks still occur, especially when vaccination rates fall below safe levels. Parents of children under 13 will hear practical guidance on how to protect their families through timely MMR vaccination, how to respond if measles is suspected, and why prevention is far safer than treatment. This episode underscores the urgent importance of immunizing children to prevent severe illness and save lives.

Episode-61-Kids, Screens, and the Silent Health Crisis

This episode of On Call with Dr. Anselm Anyoha explores how social media and constant internet access affect the physical, emotional, and social health of children and adolescents. Dr. Anyoha explains the rise of screen addiction, late-night phone use, poor sleep, declining school performance, and physical issues such as headaches, constipation, and hygiene neglect. He also discusses emotional risks, including anxiety, depression, bullying, and the search for online validation. Parents learn how to recognize warning signs, set healthy screen-time limits, create device-free routines, and support children who may need therapy due to unhealthy digital habits. This episode provides practical guidance for families looking to manage social media use and protect their children’s well-being in a digital world.

Episode-60-Umbilical Hernia in Children: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, and When to Seek Help

A clear, reassuring guide to understanding umbilical hernias in babies. This episode explains why belly-button bulges happen, how they form during fetal development, what parents should watch for, when surgery is needed, and why most hernias close on their own. Perfect for parents searching for answers about baby bellybutton swelling, umbilical bumps, and infant hernias.

Episode-59-My Ear hurts, clues Doctor use to diagnose causes of ear pain in children

A simple, narrated story about a child who suddenly develops ear pain and visits the pediatrician. Through Tim’s experience, the episode explains common signs of ear infections in children, what parents can try at home, when to seek medical care, how doctors examine the ears, and how ear infections are diagnosed and treated. A clear, relatable guide for parents, caregivers, and teens learning about childhood ear pain and ear infections.

Episode-58-When a child or youth is the shortest in their class or at school

Dr. Anselm Anyoha explains why some children are shorter than their peers, covering familial short stature, constitutional growth delay, genetic syndromes, low birth weight, chronic illness, nutrition, medications and hormonal causes. He describes how pediatricians evaluate growth with family history, growth curves, bone age and targeted tests.
The episode gives practical guidance on reassurance, monitoring, when to investigate further, and when to refer to specialists (endocrinologists, gastroenterologists, nephrologists, geneticists) so early evaluation can identify treatable causes.

Episode-56- Looking into the minds of Children who lost their Fathers, Mothers, or Parents

Loss of appetite, anxiety, insomnia, and nightmares are some of the things that might happen to Infants, Toddlers, and Children when they lose their father, mother, or parents and caregivers. In this podcast, Dr. Anyoha, an expert in Infant mental health, and a Pediatrician in practice for more than twenty years, looks into the mind and feelings of children who have lost loved ones, and shares what family members should do (seeking out a mental health therapist) to begin healing the child and avoid further stress and consequences of long-term stress in children: Anxiety, depression, disruptive behavior, etc.

Episode-55-- Lullaby Nostalgia, and Folksy songs from the Igbos of Nigeria

Recently, I was in Nigeria, and I took the opportunity to revisit Igbo popular Lullabies and folksy songs.
Lullabies serve many purposes, mainly to soothe and regulate the emotional needs of infants and children. They are also used to teach language, cultural behaviors, and heritage. 
The Igbos, a prominent ethnic tribe in Nigeria, have numerous lullabies. My brother, Emeka, and my Niece, Uju, were there to contribute to this project. We also discussed the cultural shift in parenting styles in our homeland, Igbo land, and shared some tips on what we think parents should consider when raising their babies.