MY STORY
HOW IT ALL STARTED
Hi, I’m Dr. Edidiong Ikpe-Ekpo, or “Dr. Didi” for short. I’m a mother of three boys, ranging from young elementary age to teens. My journey into medicine started early, spurred on by a life-changing moment when I was just six years old. At a friend’s birthday party, I watched in horror as another child began to choke on a piece of candy. Acting instinctively, I jumped into action, using what I had learned from my own past choking experience, and managed to save her life. From that moment, I knew I was meant to help others, especially in emergencies. My passion for emergency medicine only grew stronger, and that childhood moment still drives my mission today—to save lives, educate, and empower.
EDUCATION AND CAREER PATH
I followed my calling through rigorous education, completing my undergraduate studies at Harvard with honors in just three years through the advanced standing program. My journey continued at Yale, where I earned my Medical Degree and a Masters in Public Health from Yale Medical School and the Yale School of Epidemiology and Public Health. I now have almost two decades of experience working in Emergency Medicine. The beauty of Emergency Medicine is that we are trained to care from everyone–men, women, children, adults. We see a snapshot of the community every day–all socioeconomic classes, all levels of education, all stages of life. In Emergency Medicine here in the U.S., we do not turn anyone away. We provide care for any patient in need. My career has offered me countless opportunities to make a difference in families’ lives. Yet, as fulfilling as my work has been, nothing compares to the challenges and rewards of parenthood.
THE REALITY OF PARENTING
Becoming a parent was a game-changer. Suddenly, I found myself on the other side of the emergency room doors, dealing with my kids’ scrapes, injuries, and all sorts of mysterious symptoms. I quickly realized how often I was looking up healthcare information or contemplating going to the ER myself and how daunting it could be to navigate these situations without a clear plan. I started making checklists for myself, friends and family— from things like managing head injuries to tackling respiratory infections—and developed guidelines that helped parents stay calm and prepared during stressful moments. These tools became invaluable, and I realized that other parents needed them too.
HEARTBREAKING CASES IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE
One case stands out in my memory—a 10-year-old boy was brought in vomiting and looking unusually sleepy. They said he had complained of being unusually thirsty and tired over the past few days. It turned out he was in diabetic ketoacidosis, a critical diabetic emergency that his parents hadn’t recognized in time. By the time he reached the ER, the child had stopped breathing and he went into cardiac arrest. Our medical team was able to resuscitate the child and get his heart beating again, but the studies indicated that his body had already experienced severe damage from high sugars. I had to deliver the devastating news to his family. He was transferred from the ER to the intensive care unit, but I later learned that he didn’t survive. At that time I was a new mother and I could imagine the terror and heartache the parents must have been feeling. As a parent and doctor, that experience hit me hard. It underscored the importance of recognizing warning signs and having clear information from a trusted source, something many parents simply don’t have.
THE COST OF UNCERTAINTY
I remember another mother who worked two jobs and was in healthcare herself. She was in between health insurance plans and faced a dilemma and found herself wondering, “should I take my kids to urgent care, the ER or an office visit…and can I afford it?” One child had a persistent rash that was making him so uncomfortable that he was scratching until he got open wounds. The other child was frequently coughing and often being sent home from school due to his cough. She was unsure if the child had asthma or just seasonal allergies. She eventually took both kids to the emergency room, where she waited eight hours and received a bill of over $2,000—only to learn that her son’s rash was eczema and the other child’s seasonal allergies could possibly have been managed at home. She had the same knowledge gaps many parents do, struggling to know which symptoms are urgent and which can be handled with home care.
THE NEED FOR A GUIDE
I know another mother, highly educated with plenty of resources, who found herself terrified when her child began bleeding every time he had a bowel movement. She thought her child was hemorrhaging internally. She didn’t know whether to go to the ER or consult her child’s doctor. Making matters worse, it was the weekend and most medical offices were closed. She resorted to “Dr. Google,” but knew that wasn’t enough, especially with all of the inaccuracies and conflicting information from unverified sources. Situations like these inspired me to create a comprehensive course for parents, designed to guide them through common symptoms, recognize warning signs, and empower them to act confidently.
THE BIRTH OF MY COURSE
After years of seeing parents struggle and receiving constant calls from family and friends asking for guidance, I realized that parents need more than just quick answers—they need reliable, easy-to-understand tools for handling medical issues.   My course was born from this need. I designed it to equip parents with the knowledge to navigate their children’s health with confidence, so they can recognize warning signs, know when to seek emergency care, and feel reassured in managing non-life-threatening situations at home. This course has become a way to pass on everything I’ve learned from being a doctor and a mom, giving parents the empowerment and peace of mind I always wished I had.