Children

Resources

A message to kids

It’s fun to learn more about the body—there are many facts that will surprise you! We are happy to share health facts and ideas with you. Ask us your questions and we’ll put some articles and health fun pages up here. Are you thinking of becoming a doctor or another kind of health practitioner? Ask us about it—we’ll tell you what it’s like.

Environmental concerns and children

Children have larger surface-to-body mass ratios (in infants, three times larger than adults and in children, twice that of adults).
Infants consume six ounces of formula or human milk per kilogram of body weight, equivalent to an adult drinking 35 twelve-ounce cans of beverage per day.
Children consume much larger amounts of food than adults, per kilogram of body mass.
Children’s consumption of food is much less diverse than that of adults and therefore toxins can build up.
Children’s oxygen consumption, metabolism, and carbon-dioxide production are higher, requiring higher minute ventilation (400 ml/min compared to adults 150ml/min).
The breathing zone for children is closer to the floor, exposing them to heavier chemicals (such as mercury), chemicals vaporizing from carpets and flooring, and pesticide residues in lawns

When to schedule a “sick” visit for your child

When you observe anything that seems questionable to you

Change in bowel or urination pattern
Coughing, wheezing
Decreased appetite
Decreased sleep
Diarrhea
Excessive sleeping
Fever
Headaches
Nausea, vomiting
Rashes

When to schedule an environmental medicine appointment for your child

Schedule an appointment with us if you observe a reaction that seems unusual or questionable, or is causing your child discomfort, such as

Sneezing, wheezing, watery eyes
Excessive sleepiness
Poor concentration
Rashes

When to schedule a behavioral visit for your child

If you are concerned about your child’s behavior, please contact us for a visit. Here are some behaviors you may wish to check out

Acts as if he/she is wound up, at home and at school
Clinginess
Crying for no apparent reason
Hair twirling and/or skin biting
Unable to control temper tantrums or behavior
Unable to sleep
Unwilling or uninterested in eating or playing
Unwilling to go to school
Withdrawal
Worrying

Bullying

Whether your child is an aggressor or the subject of a bullying situation, we can offer help and guidance. Here is a sample of some of the questions we might ask during our conversation: