#13: Dr. Hasan Merali | Deprescribe Podcast Show Notes, Links, Links to Relevant Research Papers and Key Takeaways.
Show Notes | Deprescribe with Shawn | Episode 13
Listen To The Episode On:
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Dr. Hasan Merali, MD, MPH, is an associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at McMaster University and a pediatric emergency medicine physician at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario. He received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and a Master of Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins University. His research focuses on child injury prevention in low- and middle-income countries. He has published more than twenty-five peer-reviewed journal articles, and his work has been featured in The New York Times, BBC, CNN, Science, Medium, The Boston Globe, NBC, CBC, HuffPost, and Popular Science. Hasan is also the author of Sleep Well, Take Risks and Squish the Peas: Secrets from the Science of Toddlers for a Happier, More Successful Way of Life.
Connect with Hasan:
Twitter/X | Website | Facebook | LinkedIn
Sleep Well, Take Risks, Squish The Peas
If you’re a parent with a toddler, I’d highly recommend reading Hasan’s book. It’s given me unique insights and perspectives on how and why toddlers behave the way they do. Reflecting on these teachings has certainly made a positive impact on me as a Father.
Simon and Schuster | Amazon | Goodreads
Podcast Summary
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Hasan Merali to explore the surprising lessons adults can learn from toddlers. We discuss my personal experience with a medical emergency at McMaster SickKids Hospital, Dr. Merali’s journey from a small town in Northern Ontario to emergency medicine, and the inspiration behind his book.
Hasan shares details about why toddlers are masters of play, risk-taking, and emotional resilience and how understanding their brain development can help parents navigate tantrums, nutrition, and self-regulation. We also dive into the impact of screens on childhood development and why allowing kids to take risks in a safe environment is essential.
This conversation will change how you see toddlers—and maybe even yourself. Tune in for insights on confidence, creativity, and raising resilient kids.
Show Notes
Below are specific show notes, research articles highlighted during the conversation, and other relevant takeaways and links from the episode. Enjoy.
Writing 101: How to balance academics and clinical obligations while pursuing your passion project.
Hasan was gracious enough to give me some pointers on how he was able to balance his commitments as a physician and Father while still making time to write his first book. If you’re interested in learning more, click below to read an article published in Science, about his journey and struggles during the process.
As an academic struggling to find time for a passion project, I learned to accept trade-offs.
Books Mentioned In Our Conversation
How To Write A Book Proposal | Author: Michael Larsen | Google Link
Deep Work | Author: Cal Newport | Google Link
Essentialism — The Disciplined Pursuit of Less | Author: Greg McKeown | Google Link
Children’s Play and Risk-Taking
As highlighted in our conversation, Hasan and I are both proponents of allowing toddlers and young children to explore their boundaries through play, more importantly, risky play. Now, this doesn’t mean handing your toddler a box of matches and some gasoline, but rather, consciously avoiding our intense protective instincts as parents to constantly hover over our children and protect them at all costs. As the research and evidence suggest, children need to explore risk to build confidence, independence, and self-esteem.
Relevant Research Papers and Articles
Canadian Pediatric Society Research Paper — Healthy childhood development through outdoor risky play: Navigating the balance with injury prevention | Link to paper.
Canadian Pediatric Society Statement — As safe as necessary: Pediatricians say ‘risky play’ can enhance children’s health and wellbeing | Link to statement.
Children’s Risky Play from an Evolutionary Perspective: The Anti-Phobic Effects of Thrilling Experiences | Authors: Sandseter, E. B. H., & Kennair, L. E. O | Link to study. [NB: This paper is highly influential and a must-read for anyone interested in exploring this topic further]
The Atlantic — The Overprotected Kid | Author: Hanna Rosin | Link to original article published in The Atlantic | Alternate Link
TEDx Talk: The Best Life Lessons From Toddlers
The Marshmallow Challenge: Toddlers vs. CEOs
Link to try the challenge yourself with your team.
A Masterclass in Self-Talk by a 4-year-old Snowboarder.
That concludes this episode’s Show Notes and main takeaways.
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Until next time.
SG
