DAY 120 – Ticklishness: Is it Just Funny?

photo courtesy of jencu at flickr

I’ll let you answer the question.

But, before you do, I’d like to offer questions and thoughts that have shaped my view over the last 30 years.

What causes ticklishness?

Does the coupling of its seeming innocuousness with the laughter, distract us from even wondering?

Is it important if ones body reacts significantly differently than most, to touch?

Why are some people extremely ticklish, and others not at all?

It is a sensitivity to touch.

It is a hypersensitivity for some.

Often, hypersensitivities are signs of imbalance/illness.

I have observed that when food allergens, such as dairy products are removed from the diet, some children experience a marked decrease in ticklishness.

All children that I have treated, who are significantly ticklish, also have other signs of allergy, and specifically of food allergy.

Hypersensitivity is a common effect of allergy; sensitivity to light, sound, or motion.

What do you think?

DAY 117 - Free Our Children from Nightmares

photo courtesy of Santa Rosa OLD SKOOL

As a child, as early as age 4, nightmares were a common part of my bedtime.

At times I was chased with the threat of knives or guns. Usually my body was heavy and weak as I tried in vain to escape.

Some nights I was falling from cliffs. One recurrent falling variation was based on my inability to maintain altitude as I flew through the sky unaided by aircraft.

I didn’t grow out of these scary dreams. As years rolled by, the content changed to include some dreams involving distressing issues in my daily life; but they continued nonetheless.

When I married at age 19, I was still having bad dreams. My wife, Joanne, adjusted quickly to my talking in my sleep, and my thrashing about, which occasionally resulted in her being awakened by a blow as I struggled to escape from danger.

Upon awakening in the morning, Joanne would often ask, “what was that about last night?” Usually, having no memory, I would ask what she was referring to. When she could remember, she would recite a few of the words that I had spoken while sound asleep and simultaneously in flight. Not infrequently, what she had remembered would bring the dream back with detail, and I could recount a lengthy ordeal.

At age 35 my bad dreams stopped; not entirely, but overwhelmingly. As I now write this, 24 years have passed, I am 59, Joanne and I still sleep together each night, and I still don’t have bad dreams, talk in my sleep, nor smack her unknowingly.

If you suspect the work of powerful mojo in this miraculous healing; you are dead right! At age 35 I completely removed dairy products from my diet.

Through my youth I had suffered with a duodenal ulcer and other digestive problems; with fatigue, with severe back pain, and with the complete ruptures of both of my achilles tendons. By 35 I had had enough of poor health and pain, and had noticed that I did not feel as well after ingesting dairy. That was enough. I have been off of dairy, and reaping the rewards, ever since.

Note: My hope in publishing this personal account of the effect of diet on my sleep and dreams is that it will awaken a few parents to the possibility that their child’s fear-filled nights might be caused or worsened by everyday foods that the child is eating.

My report does not stand alone. With a bit of research, one will find an abundance of reports and evidence of foods influencing sleep and dreams.

Please help me spare children this traumatizing fear by sharing this article with others. Also, please post comments and experiences to this book post to help spread the word.

DAY 99 - Growth Does Not Cause Pain

Noona, Liel and Zion rest on a hike

“Growth does not cause pain.” ~ Kristofer Young, DC

The following comes (1/11/2011) from a page called “Growing Pains” on a website called Kids Health.

“Your 8-year-old son wakes up crying in the night complaining that his legs are throbbing. ........

Sound familiar? Your child is probably experiencing growing pains, a normal occurrence in about 25% to 40% of children. They generally strike during two periods: in early childhood among 3- to 5-year-olds and, later, in 8- to 12-year-olds.

What Causes Them?

No firm evidence shows that the growth of bones [or muscles, or any other tissues] causes pain. The most likely causes are the aches and discomforts resulting from the jumping, climbing, and running that active kids do during the day. The pains can occur after a child has had a particularly athletic day.” - end quote -

In 1983 when I opened my chiropractic practice, I felt a degree of apprehension about being, myself, judged unscientific due to some perception in our culture at large, and even more so in the medical profession, of chiropractors being unscientific.

As years passed, I felt more and more comfortable, and less threaten by the possibility of being accused of being an unscientific practitioner. My comfort did not arise from impeccable adherence to scientific principles on the part of all my chiropractic colleagues, but rather, from my growing awareness that medical doctors, too, live in glass houses, and ought to be careful with stone throwing.

An example of non-science, is a diagnosis of “growing pains”. A cursory review of the medical literature, including 5 medical dictionaries and a December 2010 abstract from Pediatric Endocrinology Review titled “Growing Pains: myth or reality”, leave no doubt that there is no such thing as “growing pains”. It’s not that there is very little evidence that growth causes pain; there is none.

Recall that on the Kids Health site, they list a condition called “growing pains”, and then tell us that there is “[n]o firm evidence that the growth ..... causes pain.” Then why are so many doctors and parents calling children’s leg pain, “growing pains”. Shouldn’t they be called leg pains? Isn’t it also interesting that Kids Health states that physical activity is the likely cause of the pain, while also telling us that children are more likely to have these pains between 3-5 and 8-12 years of age. What’s the magic here; do kids between 5 and 8 stop being physically active? This is not the science I am used to.

So here is the dangerous part, if one in three children experience leg pain, and are diagnosed with “growing pains”, a condition that doesn’t exist, that means that the real causes of their pain are unknown and untreated. I hope I would not have to tell a parent how unsafe this is for these misdiagnosed children.

Let me suggest to you some scientifically reasonable causes of leg pain in children. It is a rare child with leg pain that has these probable causes evaluated.

food allergies

disturbed gastrointestinal health

aberrant spinal joint function in the low back

nutritional deficiencies

poor diet

lack of exercise

What is a parent to do? Take your child to a functional medicine practitioner (chiropractor, MD, DO, DOM, etc.) Go to the website of the Institute for Functional Medicine to get a referral: click here.

DAY 69 - All Boy

She was 4 years old; and all boy!

Her parents brought her to my office for treatment of leg pain. As the three of them entered the treatment room, she paid little attention to me; no fear of the doctor that would be customary for a child this age. No clinging to mama; she began to check out the room, handled everything she could, and slapped at the vertical blinds.

After adjusting her spine, I advised her parents that both the leg pain and her fearless behavior might have some connection to her diet. I recommended a trial of no dairy.

The next week, she was back for follow-up. This time, she was all girl!

Glued to her mom’s leg, the two entered the treatment room. She glanced around the room, kept a careful eye on me, and remained close to mama. Her leg pain was much diminished. Mom had removed the dairy from her diet since the last visit.

Two weeks later, she was back; and all boy again!

Just like the first visit, she cared not who was in the treatment room. She was far from her mother’s side, and showed not the slightest concern about me or my actions. I asked Mom if her daughter was back on dairy again. Her response was, “it was so difficult.” A game of tag ensued as the little one began messing with every piece of equipment in the room. Mom would say “no” and move toward her. She would release the handle, knob or lever, and race to yet another. As she began swiping at the vertical blinds, Mom had had enough, swooped over, scooped her up in her arms and held her. There was a struggle, and some yelling from the little one. Then the real boy in her broke out; she bit her mom’s arm. Not a nibble, she clamped on that arm.

I never got to see her again, but would bet anything that if the milk and cheese got turned off again, Dr. Jekyll would return. It was clear what Mr. Hyde was eating.

Questions: What must it feel like to child, to be out of control one day, and in balance another? When out of control, what is the effect on family, school, and friendships? What is it that makes some boys and some girls, all boy? And what will it take for our culture to appreciate that foods can alter behavior?

(photo - not of the young lady in the story, but rather of, and courtesy of my wonderful granddaughter, Liel Geraci, who is all Liel)

DAY 49 - Got Knee Pain? Part III

Functional treatment of knee pain by healthcare practitioners, as contrasted with cover-up treatment, can be valuable, and in many cases, invaluable. A doctor of chiropractic (DC) can provide treatment through adjustment (manipulation) of the lower part of the spine, the knees, and/or the feet. Some DCs are trained to advise patients regarding non-musculoskeletal treatments such as dietary change, improvement of digestive function, and vitamin supplementation.  Other practitioners that treat knee pain include; doctors of oriental medicine, homeopathists, herbalists, naturopaths, bodyworkers, physical therapists, podiatrists, and osteopaths.

Knee pain is not uncommon in children. In my experience, adverse food reactions are the most common cause of childhood knee pain. These pains, and associated leg pains, are often misdiagnosed as "growing pains”. Beware that there is no evidence that growing causes pain. These pains are often in one leg, or favor one leg. This being the case, one would have to ask is the leg that is pain-free not growing? Again, growth does not cause pain.

Finally, I offer three pieces of advice:

1)         take the time to find out what’s causing your knee pain, and make the necessary changes to correct the imbalance,

2)         beware that chronic joint pain is an unquestionable sign of ongoing inflammation in the joint, that inflammation is destructive to tissues, and that unresolved, it is probable that your knee will deteriorate at an accelerated rate,

3)         recognize your knee pain as an opportunity to learn about your body, and appreciate that the functional changes that you make to heal your knee will enhance the health and vitality of your entire being and your entire life.

DAY 25 -I Come From a Divorced Family

For me, a very important part of writing this book, is the opportunity to tell the world things I believe are true, that have great importance, and that are largely unknown. So, here is one of those bits of wisdom.

Ever since I can remember, I have heard, and heard of, parents expressing their fear that their children had been, or would be damaged,... wounded by divorce. I have talked with divorced parents living with guilt, and apprehensively watching their children for the outward expression of the emotional scarring that had to have occurred when the family was severed. Many of those parents were certain that a child could not grow up whole and well-adjusted without both a mother and a father in the home.

I was eight when I found out that my parents were divorcing. I remember my Dad being angry at my Mom for choosing to leave. I don’t remember experiencing any worry or distress about separating from my Dad. I actually felt relieved.

My Dad tried to guilt me into living with him. It was so painful as an eight year-old trying to figure out how to answer him. I remember him asking me, but remember nothing of how I got out of it.

Through my teens, I never once wished that my parents were still together. On countless occasions, I felt nervous and uncomfortable as a result of my father’s ongoing anger toward my Mom and the divorce; my brothers and I were often caught in the middle of his feelings.

My comfort through the divorce and my youth, though I was not conscious of it at the time, came directly from feeling and knowing that my Mom adored us and would care for us no matter what.

I am not saying that some children aren’t harmed by divorce. I am saying that NOT ALL children are harmed; and I can’t be the only one.

If a culture like ours, talks and acts as though a child must be harmed by divorce, will that prophecy tend to be fulfilled? If it is common knowledge that a child with only one parent is not just disadvantaged, but incomplete, how might that affect a child’s view of himself?

There are many people in the world who have no one. Not just one parent; no one.

I would wish for every child, for every person in the world, one person, just one someone who cares about them deeply, who shares their joys and sorrows, and whom they know will stand by them to the end. That person could be a parent, but it could be a grandparent, an aunt, an uncle, a sister, a brother, or a dear friend; just let there be someone.

I hope someday we will not assume that divorce must wound all children.

DAY 21 – Every Child Needs a Chiropractor

Every child deserves, and needs evaluation and treatment from a knowledgeable doctor of chiropractic (DC).

For those of you who may react negatively, or with incredulity to the above statement, please read along and hear me out.

Proper function of the spine, and the muscles, nerves and connective tissues of which it is comprised, are critical to a child’s health and vitality. The most common spinal dysfunction that affects children is a gradual loss of motion and flexibility in the spinal joints. This loss can be a major factor in, or cause of back or neck pain. A knowledgeable DC is trained to diagnose this loss of mobility, often before pain occurs and before damage is detectable on an x-ray.

Back pain in children is very common. A 1994 Scandinavian study, by Trousler, showed that 51% of 1,174 school children had experienced back pain.

For most families in America, the two choices of practitioners to treat childhood spinal pain or spinal conditions are a DC and an MD (family practice or pediatrician). In my opinion, the best choice is a knowledgeable DC. DCs specialize in treatment of the spine, while neither family practice nor general pediatricians do. Additionally, MDs rarely address prevention of spinal problems, while prevention would always be a primary focus of a knowledgeable DC.

DAY 19 – I Can Help Your Kids Lose Weight (part 2)

OK, let’s get back to you and me helping your kids lose fat!

MY SIMPLE TRUTHS THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
1)    everybody has food allergies (or sensitivities), even if symptoms are not obvious,
2)    people are attracted to foods that they are allergic too – yes, the stuff your kid loves,
3)    eating food allergens can cause many people to gain fat,
4)    food allergy is often a critical factor blocking fat loss,
5)    dairy products are one of the most common food allergens in the American diet,
6)    wheat and other gluten containing grains can cause fat gain for many people,
7)    sugars and refined starches are a real problem,
8)    it would be helpful if your child can have a body composition analysis – better than weighing,
9)    there is a difference between giving up on your kid’s health, and being discouraged at times,
10)    when we give up on our kids, they often give up on themselves.

A great place to start is to take your child off of ALL (100%) dairy products for one week. Dairy can not only cause fat gain, but often causes tiredness, emotional lability, poor behavior, aggressiveness, stomach aches, constipation, intestinal gas, diarrhea, muscle pain, headache, ear infections, throat infections, colds, etc...

It works best when the ENTIRE family participates in the experiment. In most cases, the entire family feels better while off of dairy . At the end of the week, put your child back on the same amount of dairy that he/she was eating before. Most kids feel, look and behave worse on dairy.

If your child felt or appeared better while off dairy, the experiment needs to be repeated. Some children voluntarily choose to stay off of dairy once they find that they feel so much better. Repetition of the experiment creates clarity for both parent and child.

If dairy is found to be an allergen for a child, removal for even a month will often result in fat loss.

The dairy experiment is just a place to start. Dairy is the best food to use to teach individuals and families about food allergens and their role in fat gain and fat loss. If you find that you need help as you work to improve your child’s body composition, you may want to find a knowledgeable healthcare practitioner (chiropractor, naturopath, medical doctor, doctor of oriental medicine, etc) to guide you. BEWARE; it may be difficult to find such a practitioner.

For more information on the power of removing food allergens from the diet to improve fat loss, read UltraMetabolism by Mark Hyman, four-time New York Times bestselling author, family physician and international leader in the field of Functional Medicine. Find out more at: http://www.drhyman.com/

All children deserve our help.

Dr. Young :)

DAY 18 – I Can Help Your Kids Lose Weight (part 1)

It’s true; I can help your kids lose weight.

It is also true that YOU can help your kids lose weight when you know what to do, and when you are ready to make change to protect and improve their lives.

First, let’s be clear that your kids don’t need to lose weight. They need to lose fat. We are really talking about improving body composition; the balance or ratio of non-fat tissues (muscle, bone and organs) to stored fat. Some weight loss programs actually result in just that; a loss of weight, including both fat and muscle. We want to selectively lose fat, not muscle.

You, and everybody else in the country know that excessive fat is a strong predictor of serious, if not lethal, disease ahead for your children. I do not want to scare you.  I do want to catch your attention because both you and your children will suffer if we don’t do something about their body composition. Conversely, when we do improve your children’s body composition, we improve their health and stack the deck for happy and productive lives.

Let’s face it, most Americans have no idea what to do to lose fat themselves, and therefore are in no position to help their children. Additionally most Americans have lost touch with, or never had a grip on what a healthy body composition looks like. We have become so accustomed to seeing our fellow countrypeople with quite a bit of stored fat in and on their bodies, that we often sense that a slender person is unwell or near starvation. As a culture, we need to re-remember what healthy body composition looks like. And we need to consider the risks of explaining away our child’s excess fat by saying, “he is a big boy”. Big boys have more heart attacks.

In America we have taught ourselves that people with excessive fat can’t win. Scientific studies have shown that while most people who are over-weight (more accurately over-fat) may temporarily lose some fat, most all will ultimately regain that fat, and add more. The studies may well reflect what occurs in the life of an average person who is over-fat, but that is only part of the story. Keep in mind that when the lock won’t open, you may be using the wrong key, or the lock may require more than one key. We have not been using the appropriate keys for fat loss.  And lest you think that because we were able to put a man on the moon that we are using space-age technology to help people lose fat and achieve optimal body composition, think again!

Tomorrow I will give you some specifics so that you can get to work protecting your children and creating some calm in your own life knowing that they are safer.

DAY 13 – When “time-out” Isn’t Working Well (part 2)

     - continued from DAY 12 on October 16 -

Most of us have had firsthand experience observing the incredible stress and frustration experienced by a parent dealing with a child that behaves in an unacceptable manner over and over. It is understandable that most parents in this situation occasionally react to their child in a way that they later feel was not how they would want to respond.

(photo "Worried" by angelic shrek at flickr.com)

Beware of phrases like “he’s all boy”. Being a male child is not the same as being a child who repeatedly behaves in an inconsiderate or unkind manner. Lots of young boys are consistently kind, focused and polite, while some girls behave in ways that some would call “all boy”. I guided and documented the transformation into "student of the month" of one “all boy” boy who was failing academically and socially. His transformation was in part due to diet change, and accomplished without the medication that had been recommended by his school psychologist.

As a rule, most children don’t want to misbehave. They don’t like the cycle of distressed interaction that their misbehavior feeds. Most children are as confused by their poor behavior as are their parents. Many of these children develop poor self-images due to the repeated reprimands, punishments, and the obvious distress that their parents and others display.

Entering school systems, behavior problems often become compounded. Conflicts with fellow students are common. Teachers, not having the luxury of dealing with 1-3 children as an average parent would, are called upon to magically respond to the moods and behaviors of 25-35 children at a time, and can find themselves short on patience and needing quick answers in order to maintain a functional environment in the classroom. Quick answers are often in the form of Ritalin or amphetamines; but that is another story.

Diet change can be difficult for families; particularly with children who are picky eaters and demand certain foods. Often, these picky eaters have behavior issues fueled by the foods that they demand, and get. While dietary change can be difficult, I can assure you that it is nothing compared to the suffering and damage done to a family and the misbehaving child when change is not made.

My hope is that this brief discussion will awaken families to the increased harmony that usually accompanies dietary change. It is painful for me to watch parents, usually mothers, driven to distraction, and children learning to question their own worth. It is also painful for me to watch so many children put on prescription drugs without any prior attempt to explore the role of mind-altering foods in their life.

Children that I have worked with are often obviously relieved to begin behaving in a functional manner, and to learn that the problem was not that they were defective, but rather that they were eating things that negatively affected their mind, mood and behavior. Parents too are relieved to find that they just didn’t understand the powerful chemical factors that were influencing their child’s behavior.

One of the most notorious food groups that causes poor behavior is dairy products. Others foods include, gluten-containing grains, sugars, eggs, corn, nuts, colorings and additives.

I am not saying that every case will be an easy fix. What I am saying is that when “time out” is not working; parents need to take “time out” to include careful and knowledgeable assessment of food reactions as a cause or factor in their child’s behavior.