As naturopathic doctors working with kids, we get a lot of questions from parents about a new or ongoing rash they’ve seen cropping up on their baby or child’s skin. Rashes or other skin issue are a good reason to check in: the skin is the largest organ of the body, tends to be extra sensitive in little ones, and conveys a lot of information about his or her overall health status. Below The Surface You might be surprised to learn that most skin conditions aren’t “just” skin conditions. The skin happens to be one way that symptoms express themselves that we can easily see and observe. It’s also why we include a skin health exam with your baby or … Read More
Could Your Child Have PANDAS?
PANDAS – “pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders after Strep” – is a category of nervous system conditions that children can develop after an infection, such as strep throat. Parents of children with PANDAS tell me their child’s anxiety, tics or OCD symptoms came on suddenly – “out of the blue”. When we ask a few more questions, they often recall a memorable illness their child had – such as a fever, sore throat, vomiting or diarrhea – within a few weeks of the onset of their child’s new, neurological symptoms. PANDAS was first defined in 1998 by Susan Swedo et al. (You’ll find the reference to the published medical journal article here). As an autoimmune condition, PANDAS symptoms may get worse … Read More