Articles

Nutritional Research Updates in PANDAS

March 15, 2021

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

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...

OCD PANDAS PANS perianal strep Strep tics

Pathological Demand Avoidance: An Unrecognized, Important Subtype of Autism

February 10, 2021

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

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....

Health care health disparity naturopathic PedANP pediatrics Racism structural racism systemic

How physical therapy can help constipated children

March 13, 2020

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

February 21, 2020

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

February 7, 2020

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

January 31, 2020

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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A “Stork Bite” is NOT a sign of MTHFR

November 22, 2019

Babies 0-2, Providers

Social media is weird sometimes! Dr. K here. For the last several years I have seen this picture spread all over social media (Pinterest, Facebook and even IG). The heading shows “this is a sign of MTHFR” and shows pictures of a “stork bite” in many different locations. One version also shows a blue vein on the bridge of the nose and says this is also an indicator of MTHFR (this one calls it a Sugar Bug). Sorry folks, this is straight up not true. What is a “Stork Bite?” It is called a nevus simplex and is present in 30-40% of all...

Detox MTHFR myth naturopathic Nevus Simplex pediatrics Port Wine Stain stork bite vaccination

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

June 18, 2019

Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Naturopathic, Toddlers 2-4

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, and region where most problematic ticks are found. Part II, includes information on clothing choices, yard protection and tick repellents, including natural and conventional options. This article, Part III, includes information on how to built a tick-prevention kit! Why be concerned about outdoor time? As we reviewed in part I, we know from research that children and adults experience significant health benefits from being outside including healthy blood pressure, improved immunity,...

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

June 12, 2019

Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Naturopathic, Toddlers 2-4

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, and region where most problematic ticks are found. This article, Part II, includes information on clothing choices, yard protection and tick repellents, including natural and conventional options. Part III includes information on how to built a tick-prevention kit! Why be concerned about outdoor time? As we reviewed in part I, we know from research that children and adults experience significant health benefits from being outside including healthy blood pressure, improved immunity,...

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

June 4, 2019

Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Naturopathic

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 ticks, diseases involved, and region where most problematic ticks are found. Part II includes information on clothing choices, yard protection and tick repellents, including natural and conventional options. Part III includes information on how to built a tick-prevention kit! The upsides and downsides of spending time in nature As naturopathic doctors we want kids to be outside. We know from research that children and adults experience significant health benefits from being...

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Pediatric Dental Decay: Prevention and the Use of Silver Diamine Fluoride

May 3, 2019

Children 5-12, Providers, Toddlers 2-4

Editor's note: Here at Naturopathic Pediatrics it is our goal to provide pediatric health information in an unbiased format. Our articles include well-researched information about both conventional and naturopathic medicine. At Naturopathic Pediatrics we feel strongly that parents are best informed when they have ALL options presented to them in an unbiased, guilt and fear-free format. For some reason the use of fluoride is a subject that has garnered almost as much vitriol in social media as abortion, circumcisions and vaccinations. We urge all our readers to take a step back and read objectively. Fluoride is not religion. A big thank-you...

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

April 23, 2019

Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, General Health Tips, Naturopathic, Toddlers 2-4

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 do to prevent it. This article is the third in a series all about nutritional deficiencies, which are fairly common, even in developed countries like the United States. Nutritional deficiencies occur when a person isn’t consuming or absorbing enough of one or more necessary nutrients. Nutritional deficiencies can refer to lack of macronutrients like a protein deficiency, or insufficient blood levels of specific vitamins and...

children deficiency health iron minerals naturopathic nutrition prevention vitamins

How To Get Your Child To Eat “Adult” Food!

January 10, 2019

Nutrition, Parenting

The "Standard American Diet" The classic American kids’ menu is generally the same at all restaurants: grilled cheese sandwich, chicken nuggets and fries, macaroni and cheese, or pizza, and a juice box. In far fewer restaurants, kids’ menus may provide apple slices or carrots. This is now becoming more common even of international cuisine where these typical Americanized “kid foods” are showing up on menus simply due to the the demand of what children are eating. Moderation is a key nutritional tenet that holds true in almost all situations, and in this scenario we can say that yes, it is fine for...

adult food kid food naturopathic nutrition Standard American Diet whole food

Naturopathic C-Section Recovery (and my own Cesarean story!)

November 30, 2018

Postpartum

I was in disbelief when I found myself being wheeled on a stretcher into the OR for an unplanned c-section. After 2 days of going in and out of prodromal labor, 20 hours of intervention-free natural labor including over 12 hours of active pushing, it was determined that my baby and I needed help...

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Doctor recommended BEST books & resources to help anxious kids

November 16, 2018

Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12

Are you a parent or provider looking for some good resources to help an anxious child? Are you wondering when worry is considered abnormal? Are you needing some tips for how to encourage your own anxious child? You’ve come to the right place! This blog post will share with you the BEST websites and books this naturopathic doctor has found to help calm your anxious child. Dr. Erika's introduction Anxiety in kids is common. Very common! Research shows that up to 12% of children will have problematic anxiety by the age of 18. By problematic we mean that the child doesn't just...

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#1 Parenting Book Endorsed by Naturopathic Mothers

November 9, 2018

Parenting

My colleagues, naturopathic doctor moms enthusiastically recommend The Whole Brain Child to any caregiver who is experiencing difficulty with behavior and communicating with their toddlers and children. The book was SO GOOD that I read it twice and wrote this “book report” post for parents who were interested but not yet committed to reading it (because we have very tight schedules!) These tools help caregivers support their children in navigating difficult experiences using techniques that build emotional intelligence and logical problem solving skills while considering their feelings and the feelings of others. #1 Our children’s brains are “under construction” for 21 years! Not...

Brain development Child development Emotional IQ naturopathic Neuroplasticity Parenting book Whole Brain Child

Formula Fundamentals for Naturopathic Doctors

November 1, 2018

Babies 0-2, Nutrition, Providers

A note from your editor: here at Naturopathic Pediatrics we strongly support breastfeeding as the optimal way to nourish infants. When breastfeeding is not possible and donor milk is not available we want to give families accurate information to help them choose the right breastmilk substitute. This article below is a Sponsored Post by Kabrita USA. Ashley Weber, ND shares some commonly asked questions and corrects some misinformation about formula ingredients. This article is intended for naturopathic doctors. Every parent’s feeding journey with his or her baby is unique. Breast milk is the optimal source of nutrition for babies and breastfeeding...

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Quick and Easy Egg-Free Dairy-Free Breakfast Ideas!

October 19, 2018

Nutrition

As a naturopathic doctor specializing in pediatrics, I run a lot of food panels that test for food sensitivities. Why? Because I know that health starts with food, first and foremost, and more times than not, the symptoms I see most commonly arise because of an imbalance in the gut. Kids are notorious for having positive results show on their food sensitivity panels for dairy and eggs. I see both dairy and eggs come up elevated for sensitivity in as many as 7 out of every 10 symptomatic kiddos I run panels on. What symptoms, you ask? It can vary,...

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When this naturopathic doctor recommends topical steroids for eczema (!) – The case of baby Benjamin

October 5, 2018

Babies 0-2, Children 5-12, Toddlers 2-4

Benjamin* is the baby who was always scratching himself. This little guy had to wear baby mittens because otherwise he would scratch his skin until it bled. Poor little guy! I diagnosed him with eczema around 4 months of age during one of his well-visits. His eczema was relatively mild at that point, but he went through a few eczema flares as we tried many therapies to heal his skin. (*Benjamin is not his real name, and this is not a real photo of him, to protect his privacy.) What is eczema? Eczema is a rash where the skin becomes rough and inflamed....

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