Nutritional Information for Kids

Each child is unique and requires an individualized nutritional program. Since our bodies are in a constant state of change, the supplements and diet we implement today may change 3 months from now.

One of the best ways to determine what our bodies need is to establish a baseline by performing some type kind of biochemistry testing. Another possibility is to talk with a health professional about your child’s health and developmental history.

There are five main ways I may test the biochemistry in the body:

• Stool Analysis
• Urine Analysis
• Blood Analysis
• Hair Analysis
• Energy Cellular Analysis

Each one has its merits and limitations. To learn more about possible biochemistry tests to use read my book: The Without Ritalin Nutrition Book.

Here are some general rules to consider:

Metabolism: One of the indicators I look for is how the body is responding to stress. Usually, a good biochemistry test will reveal what adaptations a child is making to deal with the stress placed on him. The stages of stress I observe are as follows:

• Alarm State-This stage is considered an early stage of stress in which the body has adequate energy to fight back against stress. The sympathetic nervous system is working hard to deal with the physical and/or emotional stimulus.
• Resistance State-This stage of stress occurs as the body attempts to adapt to the stress when it can no longer maintain an alarm state. The body still has some energy reserves available to resist stress, through less than in the alarm stage.
• Exhaustion State–This stage occurs when the body has exhausted its energy levels in an attempt to contain the stress. The body no longer has the necessary energy reserves to resist or contain the stress and is now in a holding pattern to prevent further decline. Symptoms include fatigue, depression, apathy, constipation, dry skin, adrenal exhaustion and lowered thyroid activity. The child is tunneling the vision and/or the Moro reflex reflects hypersensitivity to light, sound, and touch. Bottom-line, the child’s biochemistry is in a depleted state.
• Oxidation Rate: This rate refers to the burning of foods in the body or how the body converts the foods to energy.

Heavy Metal Toxicity

Another common problem with children who have developmental delays is that they have a very poor immune and detoxification system. Because they operate in the exhaustion state, they cannot release heavy metals they are exposed to from the environment. Common metals include mercury, copper, aluminum, cadmium, lead, and arsenic.

Dietary Patterns

Sugar and Carbohydrate Intolerance-The excessive intake of carbohydrates in the diet is often associated with digestive difficulties, hypoglycemia yeast infections, fatigue, and depression. Excessive carbohydrates may also upset the balance between calcium, phosphorous, and between magnesium. See my research section for more information on this critical relationship.

Protein Synthesis-Adequate protein absorption is important for regeneration of all body tissues. It requires adequate zinc levels and other trace minerals to help with protein absorption. Eating the best organic chicken does not guarantee it is getting absorbed. Generally, if digestion is impaired it will ferment or putrefy in the gut and produce toxic chemicals that are absorbed into the body. Proper digestion requires good eating habits, digestive enzymes, and proper bowel flora.

The Nervous System

The autonomic nervous system regulates many functions in the body. Two branches of the nervous system include the sympathetic branch and the parasympathetic branch. They balance each other. The sympathetic branch is used during our active state. The parasympathetic branch is used when we are sleeping or resting. The vast majority of individuals have either an overactive sympathetic nervous system or they have an exhausted sympathetic nervous system from overusing it. These people often shift into an unhealthy parasympathetic state, as the body is exhausted but still trying to catch up with sleep, rest, and relaxation. It is critically important to maintain a proper balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches in order to maintain proper health. I use diet, supplements and herbs to help maintain this balance. Craniosacral therapy, Light Therapy, and Motor Development activities can also be effective tools to help maintain this balance.

The Immune System

This system is a network of organs, cells, and tissues that work together to provide the body’s first line of defense against organisms, toxins, and substances that invade our systems and cause disease. The immune system has many aspects including the health of the white blood cells, the digestive tract, cell membranes, antioxidant nutrients, and the autonomic nervous system.

Inflammation

Inflammation is the body’s normal reaction to injury, disease, or the presence of a foreign body. Inflammation is generally recognized by swelling, redness, heat, and possibly pain. Ph of the body tending to be more acidic creates more chances of inflammatory responses in the body. Also, when the inflammatory response is acute, the adrenal glands secrete the hormone aldosterone, which is a pro-inflammatory hormone. Cortisol and cortisone are anti-inflammatory hormone produced by the adrenals. These hormones need to be in balance for the inflammatory process to remain in check.

Cell Permeability

This ability for substances to move in or out of the cell by crossing the membrane is very important for proper health. High quality sea salt can improve this cell permeability long with a balanced calcium-magnesium relationship.

Tone and Arousal-These two aspects are very important indicators in our health. Our basic postural tone (that is the readiness for the muscles to respond) is an indication of how we are relating to gravity and is reflected in our movement.

Low tone means we are having difficulty meeting the force of gravity. High tone indicates that we are overreacting to the pull of gravity. Balanced tone indicates that we have a comfortable relationship or balance with the earth’s force.

If children have show muscle tone that is either too hypertonic (tight) and hypotonic (loose), changing the diet and adding supplements can help balance the muscle tone.

As for arousal, if a child is either in a high arousal state or a low arousal state, changing the diet and adding supplements can help balance the muscle tone.

The patient’s history, arousal/tone objective tests and observations can tell us about tone and arousal-important components for learning and development.

The Reticular Activating System is a tiny nerve network in the central part of the brainstem. In order for the cortex part of the brain to work, this “alarm” system in the brainstem must be developed.

The RAS helps us respond to outside stimuli-noises, light, temperature, etc. A healthy RAS helps balance our tone and arousal systems in the body.

To summarize, here are some general guidelines:

• Work with a health professional who is holistically minded and can help improve the absorption of the nutrients. See recommendations in the Link section of our site.
• Use an elimination diet to assess food sensitivities. Two main allergies are dairy and wheat.
• Use antibiotics sparingly. If antibiotics are prescribed frequently, ask the doctor for other treatment options.
• Eat at least one meal together every day, and eating together in the car does not count. Sit together for at least 10 minutes without stress. Make meals fun. Turn off the computer and TV; turn the phone off. Let children take their time to accept or not eat what is put in front of them. Don’t feed prod, bribe, or plead.
• Serve a varied menu of organic and home-cooked food. Reconnect to your kitchen, take a cooking class. If need be you can buy good quality fast food online. (See links) Avoid packaged, processed empty calories, fast food, pizza and pasta. Steam nutrient dense vegetables. Serve grains like millet, quinoa, and amaranth. Make soup. Crack young green coconuts and make natural probiotics with the water and immature meat.
• Buy natural fiber clothing and bedding. With children having poor sleep habits, this lack of sleep interferes with their healing process. Cotton helps the body breath better. Traditional pajamas and mattresses are coated with flame retardants that send toxic chemicals through the skin while they sleep. Organic mattresses and sleepwear are available from websites.
• Use natural alternatives for personal care products
• Establish day and night routines. Use a daily plan of organization, which helps the child and parents, organize a sequence of daily activities. Developmentally delayed children are usually pretty out of control and have a poor sense of orientation. A daily plan helps them organize themselves and where they have been, where they are now, and where they are going. Stick to a familiar sequence. Children like the safety and security of routine.
• Give more protein at breakfast instead of cereal and pancakes.
• Supplement with essential fatty acids, especially Omega 3, to help brain and nervous system development.
• Use Celtic Sea Salt in the Diet. The minerals are very helpful for balancing the body.
• Give Probiotics if antibiotics have been used
• Reduce sugars.
• Reduce TV viewing. Encourage alternatives to TV, game boys, and computer games, especially close to bedtime. Help children use their imaginations to find something to do when there is nothing to do. Join them to build forts out of living room furniture, dig for worms in the garden, rake leaves and jump in piles, plant flowers, grow vegetables, and play ball games.
• Encourage movement activities that involve balancing, cross patterning, and rhythm and timing. Some activities include martial arts, dance, swimming, rollerblading and jump rope.