Kids Out of Balance - Pathways Magazinepathwaystofamilywellness.org/pdf/Chiropractic/kids-out...Kids...

Kids Out of Balance

Written by Jennifer Barham-Floreani, B.App.Clin.Sci, B.ChiropracticSunday, 01 June 2014 00:00 - Last Updated Friday, 15 September 2017 09:38

Today’s parents are special. We have to be—we are raising children in a very different world.As my mother likes to remind me, “Things aren’t the way they used to be.” She’s right. Lookaround: They aren’t.

Food is injected and sprayed (funnily, so are many of our celebrity idols!). Water is laden withchemicals, as are many of the products we use, from deodorants and shampoos to furnitureand paint. There are many stressors accompanying our modern lifestyle, and parents are rightto be alarmed because children are particularly vulnerable to them. From conception onward,these stressors have a compound effect. The result may be a child who is immune-challenged,who struggles to learn, to interrelate, and to be truly healthy.

1 / 12

Kids Out of Balance


Appearing in Issue #42. Order A Copy Today

If you feel overwhelmed by the effort needed to keep abreast of these health threats, the goodnews is that it is now easier than ever to access up-to-date information and tools to strengthenyour family’s health. By understanding and reducing stressors, you can help your child avoidillness, alleviate symptoms, and encourage optimal body functioning for all of life’s stages. Aninformed parent is an empowered parent, so here are some ideas to help you ensure a greaterquality of life for your family.

“The man who graduates today and stops learning tomorrow is uneducated the day after.”—NEWTON D. BAKER

What Does It Mean to Be Truly Healthy?

Before we explore ways that we can keep our kids in balance we need to consider what itmeans to be truly healthy and “in balance.” Many of us are socialized into not considering ourhealth until symptoms appear. We believe, “If I feel well, I must be healthy; if I feel sick, I mustbe unwell.” We lead such demanding lives that when a headache, cold or backache arises weopt for the quickest and easiest remedy: drugs. While there is always a place for drugs andsurgery, our “there’s a pill for every ill” mantra doesn’t address why we are experiencing thesymptoms in the first place.

Ask yourself: If a person in pain takes a pill and the pain then goes away, does this mean he orshe is healthy again? Of course not. Symptoms are a message from our body that there is aproblem and that change is needed. A true indicator of health is when the body is able toeffectively adapt to the stressors placed on it.

2 / 12

backIssues.html

Kids Out of Balance


So many children today are super-sized, chronically unwell, depressed or unable toconcentrate. Indeed, our youth are not coping with the stressors of the modern world. It’simportant we explore ways to help them be healthier, more resilient and empowered for abrighter future.

This begins with asking good questions. As a parent, we can usually sense when something isnot quite right with our child. If this is your hunch, then it’s important you ask: Why is my childchronically unwell? Why is he constipated? or Why can’t she concentrate?

We can look to nature for inspiration. Take a moment to imagine the approach biologists mighttake if a certain region of a rainforest died. Would they simply remove the dead trees andreplant vegetation? Or would they investigate what had caused the destruction? If all the fish ina particular lake were found to be dying or have deformities, would biologists and wildlifeexperts simply prescribe medication for the fish? No, that would be illogical. They wouldexamine what caused the imbalance in the environment. They would look at the ecosystem andconsider all the factors that sickened the fish, and then set about eradicating these factors andimplementing strategies to recreate homeostasis or balance.

Now imagine a child who behaves aggressively. How would health experts tackle this problem?Is it logical to offer him medication for behavioral issues, or do we serve this child better byinvestigating the foods he is eating and his hydration levels, considering whether he isover-stimulated by electronic gadgets and computers, and assessing his nervous system andcommunication between the gut and the brain?

The human body is remarkable, and when it is functioning and coordinating itself well it has thecapacity to heal and regenerate. If we can teach our children that health comes from within andthat their bodies have tremendous intelligence and capacity to ward off illness, then earlywarning signs like a runny nose or a sore throat will not be seen as a signal to take antibiotics,but rather as an indication that they need to slow down, get lots of rest and boost their immunitywith natural foods. Drugs are not always the answer. There are safe and effective approachesand holistic health practitioners who can empower us to navigate our family’s health outcomes.

3 / 12

Kids Out of Balance


“Our chief want in life is somebody who can make us do what we can.” —RALPH WALDOEMERSON

Signs of a Body out of Balance

As parents it is important that we observe our children to see that they are integrating theirworld in an ageappropriate manner. An imbalance can be indicated in a variety of ways. A baby,for example, may cry or fuss during feeding and arch her back. Her head may be an unevenshape, or she might not like lying on her tummy. Becoming familiar with the expecteddevelopmental milestones will help you assess whether your baby or child’s behavior isproblematic or not. (For further information, please refer to my book Ticklish: New Ways to HelpYour Child Learn, Love & Play at ticklishbook.com.)

For older children, some warning signs of a body out of balance may be:

-

Slow recovery from minor illnesses, and recurring colds, flus and allergies

-

Poor balance and coordination

-

Inability to concentrate

-

Agitation, anxiety

-

4 / 12

Kids Out of Balance


Oversensitivity to environmental noises

-

Eczema, pale skin, discoloration under their eyes

-

A bloated tummy, constipation

-

Hyperactivity

-

Defiant or angry behavior

-

Consistently low mood, lack of enthusiasm for life

-

Difficulty sleeping

-

Fatigue upon waking, general sluggishness

What Moves a Body out of Balance?

5 / 12

Kids Out of Balance


Think of your brain as a computer and the nervous system as its hard drive. Your braincoordinates, via your nervous system, every function in your body including breathing,digestion, thought processes, and healing. Nerve messages (in the hard drive) can becomeimpaired or blocked by spinal or vertebral subluxations which occur when there aremisalignments of one or more bones of the spine. This results in altered joint motion and nerveirritation, which lessens nerve communication, organ function and general health. The longerthe subluxation exists, and the more severe it is, the more profoundly “disorganized” the bodybecomes.

There are many physical, chemical and emotional triggers that may impact the nervecommunication of the body and move a child’s body out of balance. Fortunately, there are alsomany ways we can combat the impact.

Trauma: Physical Stressors

I recently watched a heart-warming TED talk in which the speaker, Shawn Anchor, recounted apersonal childhood story. At the age of 7, when entrusted to play “nicely” with his 4-year-oldsister (he suggested playing “combat”), she fell off the top bunk bed and plummeted to the flooron all fours. As the shock set in on her little face and the tears welled up, young Shawn rackedhis 7-year-old brain to save the day and said, “Amy, Amy, wait don’t cry! Did you see how youlanded? No human lands on all fours like that! Amy… I think this means you are a unicorn.”

This story is a reminder of just how common knocks and falls are in childhood. It is estimatedthat by age 3, a child will have had three major falls—for example, off changing tables, out of acot, or down a flight of stairs. Many infants land on their head multiple times during their firstyear; by the age of 7, a child may have fallen thousands of times.

The “bounce-back” resilience exhibited by children typically hides subtle damage that leads topoor postural and neurological function over time. Like the adage, “As the branch bends, sogrows the tree,” each seemingly insignificant slip and fall adds up.

Physical stressors may impact the body even before birth. If a pregnant mother’s pelvis is

6 / 12

Kids Out of Balance


uneven, this impacts the position of the womb and ultimately a growing baby’s ability to movefreely within the uterus. Movement within the womb is vitally important as it stimulates thedevelopment of the brain, as well as the nervous and vestibular systems. In fact, the primitivebrain requires movement in the womb to develop fully and a lack of mobility and in-uteroconstraint may be one contributing factor for a child experiencing learning difficulties.

Subluxations of the mother’s pelvis may arise from car accidents, falls or poor posture.Chiropractic adjustments during pregnancy help mothers feel more comfortable and mobile andencourage babies to move freely in the womb. Adjustments also encourage morestraightforward births due to better alignment of the pelvis, abdominal muscles, and ligamentsthat hold the uterus and cervix in place. (For more information, please see Well AdjustedBabies, at welladjustedbabies.com.)

The birth process and medicalized births may also create tension within the baby’s spine, theskull and nervous system. Contributing factors include false labor, a long or very short labor,failure of the mother’s cervix to dilate, the use of drugs to increase contraction intensity, the useof vacuum extraction or forceps, caesarean section delivery, and the cord around the baby’sneck. Sometimes even straightforward vaginal births can create subluxations if the baby isunable to move into the ideal birth position and reduce stress on the spine.

This is why chiropractors recommend parents have their baby’s spine checked post-birth. Whenthe nervous system is not functioning well it has the potential to affect the communicationchannels of the body and may impact all aspects of health, including neurological development,respiratory function and the baby’s capacity to sleep, breastfeed and digest milk. Chiropractorsuse specific techniques with children and tailor adjustments to the infant’s size and age.

Another physical stressor to consider is posture. Poor posture influences our nervous systemsignificantly, adversely affecting our well-being, overall mood and ability to concentrate or work.

There is no doubt that children today need to be technologically skilled and that there arebenefits to the appropriate use of electronic equipment. However, repetitive or prolongedpostures while watching television and playing computer games can impact a developing spine.Furthermore, most children neglect to strengthen certain muscles as they grow and develop. Itis important to stimulate the extensor muscles on the back side of the body, since theyneurologically fire straight to the cerebellum and improve the way the brain works. Therefore,when young children have poor posture they may be at greater risk of poor neuromotor

7 / 12

Kids Out of Balance


development. It is vitally important that children be physically active, engaging in sports andactivities that strengthen their bodies, such as trampoline, gymnastics and swimming.

Action:

1. Find a wellness chiropractor. Chiropractors can assess how your child’s spine and nervoussystem is adapting to the lifestyle stressors placed upon it, including the impact of birth, knocksand falls, and poor posture. Regular chiropractic adjustments help to support optimal growthand nerve function.

Toxins: Chemical Stressors

Over the last few decades we have learned a great deal about how health is taxed byenvironmental chemicals. We now know that unborn babies and breastfed children are exposedto toxins that a mother inhales, ingests, or that pass through her skin. It was once thought thatthe placenta shielded the fetus from these toxins, but in fact the umbilical cord carries not onlythe building blocks of life but also a steady stream of industrial chemicals, pollutants andpesticides that cross the placenta just as readily as residues from cigarettes and alcohol.

It is estimated that approximately 70 percent of our immune cells reside in our colon. Ourmodern lifestyle compromises our digestive strength every day—poor dietary habits, antibiotics,dehydration and environmental toxins destroy the important flora (“good bacteria”) of the bowel,affecting our digestive capacity and impacting our immune system. Chemical stress may resultfrom chlorine and fluoride found in water and the many toxins found in food, includingpesticides, herbicides, preservatives, colorings, additives, hormones, damaged fats and highlevels of sugar.

8 / 12

Kids Out of Balance


When these toxins accumulate, the core energy of the body is weakened. Sadly, millions ofchildren suffer with eczema, asthma, allergies, sleep problems and behavioral difficulties, toname but a few of the repercussions.

Actions:

2. Eat well. Buy high-quality organic fruits and vegetables. If you are unable to purchaseorganic produce, then buy a fruit and vegetable wash which helps to remove pesticides. Explorethe Environmental Working Group’s website (ewg.org); it is a not-for-profit environmentalresearch organization that has developed a pesticide guide for fruits and vegetables.

Meryl Streep once said, “It’s bizarre that the produce manager is more important to mychildren’s health than the pediatrician.” Indeed, the pesticides, heavy metals, herbicides andfumigants used on generic produce have all been linked to abnormalities in behavior,perception, cognition and motor ability during early childhood, even when exposure is atso-called harmless levels.

3. Drink well. One of the simplest and most important things you can do is invest in a waterfilter to protect your family against chemically-treated water. Most of our drinking water todaycontains chlorine and chlorination by-products, as well as numerous other contaminants.Drinking uncontaminated water promotes detoxification, enhances nutritional uptake, andensures optimal hydration. Help your children develop the habit of drinking water throughout theday rather than juices and soft drinks. A mere 2 percent drop in our body’s water supply cantrigger signs of dehydration: fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math and difficultyfocusing on smaller print, such as on a computer screen. Many children are frequentlydehydrated, suffering with concentration issues, constipation and digestive problems.

4. Use probiotics. High-quality probiotics can provide the necessary bacteria for a healthy gut,and they are an essential aid to digestive health for all children. I would recommend takingprobiotic supplements daily.

5. Visit your allied health practitioners. For children to enjoy long-standing digestive health, it

9 / 12

Kids Out of Balance


is imperative to ensure that their bowels are receiving effective messages from the centralnervous system. Chiropractic adjustments aim to remove nerve dysfunction, allowing the bodythe opportunity to restore balance and rebuild bowel and immune-system strength. I would alsorecommend utilizing the expertise of Chinese Medicine practitioners and homeopaths to assistwith health challenges.

6. Audit your household. Take an audit of the number of processed foods in your pantry,fridge and your children’s lunch boxes. Consider how many prescriptions your child has had inthe last 12 months or over their lifetime. Investigate the ingredients in your personal careproducts. By taking stock of where you are starting from, you’ll be able to celebrate how faryou’ve come when you invest in your health and create health rituals that pay dividends for alifetime. There are now many valuable websites and books that can show you how to reduce therisks in your own home.

Thoughts: Mental Stressors

Children are not immune to stress. Epigenetics and other areas of research show us thatemotional stress affects human beings at all stages of life, including in utero, creating changesat a cellular level that can be detrimental to a child’s future health.

One of the causes of emotional stress is a hostile or uneasy environment at home or school. If achild feels her safety or the safety of either parent is threatened, physiological responses arisewhich can result in anxiety, personality issues or health complaints.

Chronic emotional stress in turn creates digestive stress, altering the body’s fine acid/alkalinebalance. These deleterious effects are exacerbated by short, rapid breathing patterns known toaccompany stress, increasing the body’s acidity woes. When the bowel is acidic, our digestivestrength weakens.

Poor sleep habits can also contribute to unnecessary stress in the household. If a child does notwake up easily and with energy each morning, this could indicate he is not getting enoughquality sleep. As a parent you might need to pick your battles, but ensuring your children get

10 / 12

Kids Out of Balance


enough sleep is a battle you should be determined to win every time, because children cannotconcentrate, learn tasks, or play sports well when their bodies are chronically tired. When tired,children will also crave sugary foods that leave them prone to yeast imbalances.

Actions:

7. Limit the late nights. It is a good idea to limit the number of late nights that children have ina week. With social, school and family activities, bedtimes can gradually become later and laterfor older children, but sleep requirements remain just as vital for teenagers as when they areyounger. It turns out that teenagers may actually need more sleep than they did in their youngeryears.

8. Send them to bed early. Try getting your children to bed an hour earlier for a period of timeand watch how this can transform grumpy or emotional behavior.

9. Implement a set routine. Having a set routine for dinner and bedtime makes life easier foreveryone, as it gives the body and mind cues to slow down, relax and prepare for sleep.

10. Encourage exercise. Children sometimes resist sleep because they are not doing enoughphysical exercise during the day. Encourage children to exercise frequently. Families can createregular rituals in and around exercise, such as going cycling together, playing in the garden, orlearning a sport.

11. Spend time together. Limit television and electronic time and spend more time together asa family, relaxing and connecting, free of agendas.

12. Learn new skills. Parenting is hard. However, there are many tools and skills you can learnto make life easier. Decrease the stress in your household by committing to learning new,proactive parenting skills each year. This can keep you inspired and inventive when challengesarise.

11 / 12

Kids Out of Balance


Admittedly, I have spent many anxious moments contemplating the tremendous job ofparenting. I love Emerson’s quote about how we need someone to make us do what we can. Itreminds me that while it feels like hard work to create positive lifestyle changes for our children,the good news is there is so much that we can do to protect our children’s health and nurturetheir minds and bodies. It is never too late to influence the health of the little people in our lives;it just takes courage, commitment and learning to trust your intuition. Together there is much tolearn and explore.

This article appeared in Pathways to Family Wellness magazine, Issue #42.

View Article Resources .

View Author Bio .

To purchase this issue, Order Here .

12 / 12

http://www.pathwaystofamilywellness.org

http://pathwaystofamilywellness.org/item/issue-42-summer-2014-article-references.html

item/jennifer-barham-floreani.html

http://pathwaystofamilywellness.org/backIssues.html

Kids Out of Balance - Pathways Magazinepathwaystofamilywellness.org/pdf/Chiropractic/kids-out...Kids...

Documents

Transcript of Kids Out of Balance - Pathways Magazinepathwaystofamilywellness.org/pdf/Chiropractic/kids-out...Kids...