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August 23, 2022

Is zinc supplementation safe for children?

Dr. K here. Zinc is one of my most-used supplements in my practice, both for pediatrics and adult patients. I use zinc most often for diarrhea, picky eating, eczema, general immune support, and anxiet

Avatar Erika Krumbeck
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Naturopathic, Providers
April 7, 2022

Nutritional interventions for depression and anxiety in children

Depression and anxiety are extremely common conditions that affect millions of children in the United States.  The CDC estimates 9.4% of children have clinically significant anxiety, and 4.4% of

Avatar Erika Krumbeck
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Naturopathic, Providers
March 3, 2021

I think my child has PANDAS. What do I do next?

What is PANDAS?  PANDAS stands for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infection. This condition is characterized by a sudden onset of psychiatric sympto

Avatar Michelle Young, ND
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Naturopathic
February 10, 2021

Pathological Demand Avoidance: An Unrecognized, Important Subtype of Autism

Have you ever seen a child in your clinic who presents as “a little autistic, but not quite”? Perhaps nine-year-old Anna* makes good eye contact, speaks eloquently, and greets you like a talkative

Avatar Melissa Neff, PhD
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Naturopathic, Providers
June 18, 2019

A naturopathic approach to preventing tick-borne diseases in kids. Part III – Building a Tick-Kit

This article is the second in a three-part series on the prevention tick-borne diseases in children and families.  Part I reviews the timing of tick activity, types of ticks, diseases involved, a

Avatar Dr. Kulveen Virdee
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Naturopathic, Toddlers 2-4
June 12, 2019

A naturopathic approach to preventing tick-borne diseases in kids. Part II – preventing tick bites.

This article is the second in a three-part series on the prevention tick-borne diseases in children and families.  Part I reviews the timing of tick activity, types of ticks, diseases involved, a

Avatar Dr. Kulveen Virdee
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Naturopathic, Toddlers 2-4
June 4, 2019

A naturopathic approach to preventing tick-borne diseases in kids. Part I – Types of Ticks, Timing, and Geography

  This article is the first in a three-part series on the prevention tick-borne diseases in children and families.  This article, part I, goes over the timing of tick activity, types of tick

Avatar Dr. Kulveen Virdee
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Naturopathic
April 23, 2019

Is Your Child Getting Enough Vitamins and Minerals? A Guide to Testing for Nutritional Deficiencies (Part 3 – Iron)

Could your child have an iron deficiency? Iron deficiency is very common in kids, especially in infants and teen girls. Read on for the signs of iron deficiency, how to test for it, and what you can d

Avatar Cori Burke, ND
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, General Health Tips, Naturopathic, Toddlers 2-4

Supplementing vitamin B6 in children and teens: PMS, ADHD, autism and more!

January 18, 2023
1
1
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Nutrition

What is Vitamin B6? Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin known as pyridoxine. The active coenzyme forms of vitamin B6 are called pyridoxal 5 phosphate (PLP) and pyridoxamine 5 phosphate (PMP). Vitamin B6 performs a wide variety of functions throughout the body in these active coenzyme forms. It is involved in over 100 enzymatic reactions, many of which are a component of protein metabolism and to a lesser degree in carbohydrate and fat metabolism. Vitamin B6 is necessary for hemoglobin formation, immune health, nucleic acid production, homocysteine and glucose regulation, and energy production.1 Much of this article focuses on the function...

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Is methylfolate safe for kids? What do naturopathic doctors use folate for?

December 7, 2022
0
0
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12

What is folate? What is the difference between folic acid and folate? Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin found in many plant and animal foods. It may also be referred to as vitamin B9 or folic acid. However, the term “folic acid” is often used inappropriately and synonymously with folate. Folic acid is not found in nature or food sources, rather it is the synthetic form found in fortified food products. The term folate refers to the type found in nature and in food sources. The activated form of folate is called methyl tetrahydrofolate (MTHF) or methylfolate. It becomes activated...

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Naturopathic Pediatrics Vitamin C

Vitamin C supplementation in children and pregnant women

October 26, 2022
0
0
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Providers, Toddlers 2-4

This article was compiled by Kayla Martin, CNS candidate and edited by Erika Krumbeck, ND. How is vitamin C used in the body? Vitamin C is one of the most well known and widely used vitamins. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning it dissolves in water and travels through the body to various tissues, but isn’t effectively stored. Therefore, it must be consumed on a daily basis to ensure adequate intake. Vitamin C is probably best known for its antioxidant properties that help control infections like the common cold. However, its functions are vast and include playing a role in neurotransmitter synthesis,...

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Easy hydrotherapy – how to do magic warming socks for kids!

October 7, 2022
0
0
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Toddlers 2-4

The use of hydrotherapy is one of the oldest traditional treatments. There are many different types of hydrotherapy, including baths, steams, pour-over therapies, and the application of wet towels or sheets.   In this case we are interested in contrast hydrotherapy, or using water that alternates from hot to cold to stimulate circulation and immune system function. Warm water vasodilates, improving circulation to peripheral tissues (like the nose, sinuses, hands and feet).  Cold water vasoconstricts, reducing circulation to peripheral tissues and increasing circulation to vital organs (like the heart and lungs).  Alternating warm and cold water further increases circulation and acts...

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Hydrotherapy for chest colds in children

September 23, 2022
0
0
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Toddlers 2-4

Why hydrotherapy? The use of hydrotherapy is one of the oldest traditional treatments. There are many different types of hydrotherapy, including baths, steams, pour-over therapies, and the application of wet towels or sheets.   In this case we are interested in contrast hydrotherapy, or using water that alternates from hot to cold to stimulate circulation and immune system function. Warm water vasodilates, improving circulation to peripheral tissues (like the nose, sinuses, hands and feet).  Cold water vasoconstricts, reducing circulation to peripheral tissues and increasing circulation to vital organs (like the heart and lungs).  Alternating warm and cold water further increases circulation and...

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Is zinc supplementation safe for children?

August 23, 2022
1
5
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Naturopathic, Providers

Dr. K here. Zinc is one of my most-used supplements in my practice, both for pediatrics and adult patients. I use zinc most often for diarrhea, picky eating, eczema, general immune support, and anxiety in children. (Of course, this is all very patient-specific, and depending on the overall need/s of the child.) Though true zinc deficiency is rare in developed countries, functional zinc deficiency is quite common, especially in patients with impaired absorption or in times of increased need (e.g., growing children). Zinc lozenges are tasty and compliance tends to be good. Personally, I like Seeking...

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Choline supplementation in children and pregnant women

June 22, 2022
3
1
Babies 0-2, Children 5-12, Pregnancy, Providers

Looking for a great phosphatidylcholine product? Seeking Health has the best. Check it out here! What is choline? Choline is a water-soluble nutrient that is technically neither a vitamin or a mineral. However, it is open lumped together with the B-vitamin family of nutrients due to its role in multiple bodily functions. Choline is necessary for liver, muscle, and brain functions as well as for the structural integrity of cell membranes, cell signaling, lipid transport and metabolism.2 It is required for metabolizing and transporting cholesterol out of the liver and thus deficiencies can lead to an accumulation of fat...

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Warning signs of Sensory Processing Disorders in children

May 13, 2022
3
0
Children 5-12

Sensory processing is a term that describes how we receive information from our environment. Sensations, such as hearing and sight, provide us with information about our body and environment. Sensory integration is a term to describe the way our nervous system organizes these sensations in order for us to interact effectively with the world around us. This unconscious process is critical for development of skill and learning. It can be as basic as turning our head toward a sound or as complex as organizing information from our touch, visual and proprioceptive (body position and force) systems to tie our shoelaces. ...

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Nutritional interventions for depression and anxiety in children

April 7, 2022
1
2
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Naturopathic, Providers

Depression and anxiety are extremely common conditions that affect millions of children in the United States.  The CDC estimates 9.4% of children have clinically significant anxiety, and 4.4% of children have depression.  This represents over 5 million anxious children and 2.5 million depressed children in the United States alone. UNICEF estimates globally 13% of adolescents have a mental health disorder.  Even more concerning is the fact that this data is from a pre-pandemic era (2016-2019), and rates are almost certainly significantly higher. Most children in the United States with mental health disorders are treated by their pediatricians with a combination of...

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Raising Kids Naturally Podcast

March 4, 2022
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Adolescents 13-18, Babies 0-2, Children 5-12, Toddlers 2-4

Dr. Erika Krumbeck, the founder of naturopathicpediatrics.com was recently on a new podcast by EcoParent called Raising Kids Naturally. Hosted by Leslie Solomonian, ND. Leslie Solomonian is a naturopathic doctor in Toronto with an interest in pediatrics and family medicine. She is a professor and clinician at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine where she teaches clinical medicine, pediatrics and philosophy. More information about the Raising Kids Naturally Podcast: One of the greatest impacts on a person’s lifelong wellbeing is how their health is nurtured during childhood. At our kids’ most malleable time of life, the choices we make as parents...

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7 Steps to Avoid Screen Addiction in Children (and yourself)

February 1, 2022
1
0
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12

Screen Addiction. Is it the most addictive substance of our time? By now, most everyone is aware of the problem posed by having too much time in front of a tech device. Known as “screen time” to encompass TV, tablets, smart phones, video games, social media and more, there have been many articles discussing the addictiveness associated with these devices. But the question is, what on earth is to be done about it? It is not practical for most families to simply ban the use of these devices and furthermore, they do serve a very useful purpose in the modern age....

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Wholesome Baking with Kiddo’s Part I: Sweeteners

January 19, 2022
0
1
Children 5-12

Taste and smell are two of our senses that have the power to unearth our memories and emotions in remarkable detail, even decades later. The neural pathways for taste, smell and memory all reside together in our limbic system, known as our “primitive brain”, where we feel our emotions. Whether it’s grandma’s desserts, or a comfort food we enjoyed on sick days from school, we all have foods that permeate our bodies with sensory AND emotional delight. In recreating these special recipes for our children, we pass on traditions, family recipes and most importantly, memories that they will live to...

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The rationale for long-term laxative therapy for kids with constipation

March 31, 2021
0
4
Children 5-12, Constipation, Toddlers 2-4

Dr. K here from naturopathicpediatrics.com. Today, I want to talk about the rationale for long term laxative therapy for kids with constipation, while we are addressing the underlying cause. So I mentioned in my last video, which was really more about naturopathic medicine, how we should not just swap one therapy for a natural version of the same therapy. But I want to get to like backtrack a little bit and talk about why sometimes kids actually do need long term laxative therapy. Conventional treatment vs. naturopathic treatment of constipation But it's super important in this that we actually address the...

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Nutritional Research Updates in PANDAS

March 15, 2021
0
0
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Providers

PANS and PANDAS are debilitating neuroimmune disorders that affect children. For an overview of the difference between Tourette syndrome, OCD and PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections) see Dr. Zelfand's article: When a Tic isn’t a Nervous Habit (PANDAS: Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections) Conventional treatments for PANS and PANDAS include repeated antibiotics, steroids, and in severe cases IVIG treatments.  For a full research review see this article: Treatment of PANDAS and PANS: a systematic review These treatments can be very effective for some kids, but unfortunately not so effective in others.  Either way, long term medication...

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I think my child has PANDAS. What do I do next?

March 3, 2021
0
1
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Naturopathic

What is PANDAS?  PANDAS stands for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infection. This condition is characterized by a sudden onset of psychiatric symptoms after a Group A Beta Hemolytic Streptococcal infection (GABHS). Many have only heard about Strep throat, in which the strep infection is in the throat. However, it can also occur in the gastrointestinal system, on children’s bottom, or on the skin. PANDAS typically occurs in children between 3 years of age and adolescence and is particularly prevalent in boys. It is estimated that 1 in 200 children are affected by PANDAS, although it is likely that...

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Pathological Demand Avoidance: An Unrecognized, Important Subtype of Autism

February 10, 2021
1
1
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Naturopathic, Providers

Have you ever seen a child in your clinic who presents as “a little autistic, but not quite”? Perhaps nine-year-old Anna* makes good eye contact, speaks eloquently, and greets you like a talkative “little adult,” but, when you ask her if she has a best friend, she ignores your question and instead ruminates for ten minutes about a specific peer who bullied her in preschool. Maybe her parents report that Anna is impeccably-behaved in public, but begins swearing and throwing things at her sister as soon as she gets home from school, sometimes for hours at a time. After her...

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Naturopathic Pediatrics and PedANP statement on Racism, plus Resources for Parents and Providers

June 20, 2020
0
0
Providers

Here at Naturopathic Pediatrics we support the statement by the Pediatric Association of Naturopathic Physicians.  See the excerpt below: The Pediatric Association of Naturopathic Physicians (PedANP) rejects racism, oppression and violence in all its forms. We have watched recent events with sadness and anger. The murder of George Floyd is the most recent and public example of racism that plays out every day in a spectrum of ways. Structures of systemic racism threaten the physical and mental safety of children for the duration of their lives. White supremacist structures directly harm children, families and communities who are oppressed due to race....

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How physical therapy can help constipated children

March 13, 2020
0
0
Children 5-12, Toddlers 2-4

Hi! My name is Rachael Herynk DPT, and I am a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic health.  When I work with kids, it is usually to help with constipation, soiling, and leakage. Kids aren't leaking pee and poo on purpose. It is important to understand that most of the time, kids aren’t leaking poop and pee on purpose - it usually has to do with constipation.  When there is a lot of poop in the rectum, it pushes on the bladder and makes it easier for the bladder to leak.  It also means liquid stool can leak around the poop in...

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When a child with the flu can't walk: Benign Acute Childhood Myositis. From #Naturopathic Pediatrics

When a child with the flu can’t walk – Benign Acute Childhood Myositis

February 21, 2020
0
4
Uncategorized

We are familiar with the common flu symptoms: fever, chills, fatigue, malaise, sore throat, and runny nose. We’re also not surprised when the flu is paired with diarrhea and dizziness. But when our children can’t walk after having the flu, that’s more concerning. When flu symptoms become more severe, this suggests the immune system needs more support, and was likely jeopardized to begin with. Treating the flu with fever suppressors and pain relievers does not support the immune system. In fact, fever reducers suppress the immune system by preventing the cytokine action. This can prolong the infection and interfere with the...

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The microbiome and your child's anxiety: why treating the gut is key. #Naturopathic

The Microbiome and Your Child’s Anxiety: Why Treating the Gut is Key

February 7, 2020
0
0
Uncategorized

Childhood anxiety is very common. In fact, nearly 4.5 million children in the US have been diagnosed with this condition.  The reasons why anxiety is so prevalent it is thought to be due to a combination of genetics, the child’s personality and their environment. While these factors do play a part, recent research is uncovering a new physiological piece to the anxiety puzzle. The answer could be found in your child’s gut, the center of their microbiome.   The microbiome is made up of billions of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other living organisms that live on our skin, in our nose and mouth,...

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Adding herbs to a pediatric ADHD protocol for #Naturopathic #Pediatrics

Adding Herbs to a Pediatric ADHD Protocol

January 31, 2020
0
1
Providers

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children. According to the American Psychiatric Association, an estimated 8.4 percent of children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with ADHD. Memory, concentration and ‘appropriate behavior’ are key in a child’s ability to learn and be successful in school. The 3 subtypes of ADHD include inattentive, hyperactive/impulsive or mixed. It can be challenging to tease out the subtypes with younger children but usually the reports from parents and teachers will eventually bring clarity. Screening tools such as the Vanderbilt ADHD assessment can be helpful for diagnosing ADHD accurately. Ruling out other...

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