By Monique Roth
L’Observateur

LAPLACE — Dr. Wendi DeFrank thinks Girl Talk is important growing up, so she’s dedicated time and energy into providing just that for 9-to-11 year-old girls in the River Region.

DeFrank, originally from Mississippi, moved to Louisiana for her residency and started her pediatrician practice down Rue de Sante in LaPlace 21 years ago.

Now in her third office location on the same street, DeFrank laughed as she said people have always known which road to come down to find her.

In her current building since 2000, DeFrank said she sees patients from all over the River Region, and even has patients drive in from as far away as Covington and Ponchatoula.

DeFrank said the idea to start a Girl Talk series was birthed after several area schools and a Girl Scout troop asked for her to give talks about growing up, body changes and related topics.

“This is something the community needs,” DeFrank said she thought after several successful talks. “Let’s do it regularly.”

With the last talk held Oct. 23 at the LaPlace library and another one being planned for January, DeFrank said she is always impressed girls and their caregivers take time away from other things to come and participate.

DeFrank said topics covered include hygiene, body image, weight concerns, maturity, body changes and puberty. She said she never covers sexual education topics, as she would rather leave that to parents.

After starting the night with a conversational talk, DeFrank opens the floor to a question and answer segment, which explores different topics mothers or the girls are concerned about.

“The talk takes about an hour,” DeFrank said. “It’s the best hour you could ever spend if you have a pre-adolescent girl.”

DeFrank said she thinks Girl Talk “breaks the ice” between daughters and mothers and “gives parents a platform to have the discussions” they may have been fearful of or unaware of how to approach.

As a LaPlace resident and mother of three daughters, Connie Powell couldn’t agree more.

“(Girl Talk) makes it a lot easier for a parent to start the conversation with their daughter about the life changes and body changes to expect,” Powell said, adding DeFrank approaches all sensitive topics respectfully.

Powell said it’s a hard balance for parents to know what information their young daughters need to know and when, and the information DeFrank provides gave her and her daughters a “starting point” to continue the sensitive but important conversations.

“It made them feel better about themselves,” Powell said of her daughters Margaret and Allison, who attended a talk last year. She said her daughter Erin will attend January’s session.

Reserve resident Shelly Clement, who attended October’s talk with daughter Sophia, said attending was a “wonderful experience that made it a lot easier to open the door” and talk to her daughter about certain topics.

Today, DeFrank is scheduled to visit a local preschool’s Teddy Bear Clinic, where she will talk to students and demonstrate shots on teddy bears and dolls and explain other things the children will experience at a standard doctor office visit.

DeFrank said community outreach was at the core of her medical practice when she first started 21 years ago, and remains something she enjoys doing.

“As practitioners we have an obligation to provide community service and education,” DeFrank said, adding she is always open to discussing how she can take part in a local school’s and organization’s event.

For more info about DeFrank’s practice and upcoming Girl Talk offerings, search “Rainbow Pediatrics” on Facebook or call 985-652-4400.