Symptom Science: A Doctor Explains Sneezes, Scabs, Sunburns, and More

Why do we sneeze? Why does a bruise turn green before it fades? And why does biting your tongue hurt so much — and heal so fast? Symptom Science was created by a medical doctor with pediatric training to answer the questions kids ask about their own bodies. Over four live sessions, students explore reflexes like coughing, sneezing, and hiccups; how cuts become scabs and why bruises change color; how the immune system battles colds, flus, and fevers; and how the body feels pain and how pain relief works. Every session ends with "You've Got a Patient," where students use what they've learned to crack a medical mystery. Curious kids will come away understanding what's really happening inside them every day — and with plenty of gross, fascinating facts to share at dinner.

Session 1: Reflexes: Coughing, Sneezing, Vomiting, and More Discover the automatic actions your body takes to protect you, from the knee-jerk reflex your doctor tests to sneezing, coughing, gagging, blinking, hiccups, and goosebumps, and find out why babies are born with reflexes they outgrow.

Session 2: Wounds, Bruises, Healing, and Why Biting Your Tongue Is Both Painful and Fascinating Learn why some wounds bleed more than others, how platelets form a scab while white blood cells fight germs and new skin grows underneath, why bruises change color as they heal, and why your tongue is one of the most sensitive and fastest-healing parts of your body.

Session 3: Fevers, Flus, Colds, and the Immune Response Meet the immune system's defenders, from skin and mucus to white blood cells, and the bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites they fight, and see how fevers, antibodies, vaccines, and medicines help the body win.

Session 4: Pain Science: How the Body Feels Pain and How Pain Relief Works Follow a pain signal from your nerves to your brain, learn the difference between acute and chronic pain, and find out how rest, ice, and medicines like ibuprofen and acetaminophen help, and how to use medicine safely.