This episode of Pediacast is brought are a pediatric podcast for moms and dads. Hello everyone and welcome once again to Pediacast.

We are a pediatric podcast for moms and dads.

This is Dr. Mike coming to you from the campus of nationwide children's hospital.

We're in Columbus, Ohio.

It's episode 595.

We're calling this one, My Anxiety is Messing Things Up.

I want to welcome all of you to the program.

We are so happy to have you with us.

And I also want to say right out of the gate here,

happy New Year to everyone.

I hope your holidays were fantastic

and you were able to spend some time with a family and friends and loved ones.

So important to have that break.

But here we are at the beginning of a new year.

And it is the time of the year when there is a lot of anxiety that goes around, not just for kids

and teenagers, but for adults too.

There's sort of a letdown after the holidays.

Days are short in terms of the amount of daylight.

And we often, depending on where you live, are sort of stuck inside more than we are during the rest of the year.

And all of those things can come together and play into anxiety.

Also, starting school again.

You know, kids have had a break and now they've got to get back into the routine, and that can sometimes spark off some anxiety.

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