Common Chronic Symptoms in Children (and What They Mean!)
It is perfectly healthy and normal for children to exhibit symptoms on occasion. This is not a concern.
All children exhibit occasional temper tantrums, hoarding of toys, constipation, hyperactivity, and many other common childhood symptoms. However, it is not normal when children exhibit these symptoms chronically or with particular intensity and severity, despite conventional treatment approaches (e.g., diet and behavioral modifications). These symptoms stem from some underlying medical problems that are typically not recognized by most physicians, but are very treatable through holistic and integrative medicine.
Children who have chronic health or developmental diagnoses, like an autoimmune condition or autism, might exhibit chronic symptoms, but more and more “healthy” children seem to be exhibiting chronic symptoms. We call these the “soft signs” of the “new childhood epidemics.” Our children are telling us that the way we are living in the modern world is not supportive of human health and vitality.
Symptoms are your body’s way of telling you that something is out of balance and in need of attention, but they also offer clues as to where to begin healing. Read more about some of the soft signs and symptoms commonly seen in children today.
What Are the Most Common Soft Signs and Symptoms?
If your child exhibits any of the soft signs below with persistence, they may have some of the underlying medical dysfunctions commonly seen with the “new childhood epidemics.” Click on a symptom below to learn more about some of the underlying imbalances that might be precipitating the symptom.
- One or two red cheeks after eating
- Red or hot ears after eating
- Chronic runny nose or cough
- Chronic mouth breathing
- Recurrent ear infections
- Chronic or recurrent sinus infections
- Chronic or recurrent strep infections
- Periodic Fever Syndrome
- Patches of red, dry, scaly skin (eczema) on face, hands, elbows, knees or other parts of the skin
- Frequent diaper rashes in babies, especially red rings around the anus or redness of the vaginal area
- Cradle cap or excessive scaling and dandruff on the scalp
- Thinning hair or hair loss
- Cavities and excessive tartar, or bad breath despite proper dental hygiene
- Frequent day-time accidents in an already potty-trained child
- Nighttime bedwetting well into the grade school years
- Nocturia, frequent waking to go to the bathroom
- Dark circles or bags surrounding the eyes, “droopy” eyes
- Excessive drooling in children too old to drool
- Colic, excessive crying or irritability in babies
- Frequent temper tantrums (multiple times a day)
- Frequent crying, sadness, anger (multiple times a day)
- Esophageal reflux, babies who chronically spit up or regurgitate after eating
- White coating on the tongue
- Chronic thrush infections
- Unusual fingernail or toenail formation
- Frequent loose stools, diarrhea
- Undigested food found routinely in stools
- Constipation, infrequent stooling, (only going once every few days, or straining with a bowel movement)
- Excessive gas, flatulence
- Chronically discolored stools: white, yellow, or black
- Floating stools, or dry stools (“rabbit pellets”)
- “Tummy aches”
- Distended “pot belly”
- Persistent toe walking (always walking on tip-toes)
- Delays in crawling, walking, talking
- Large motor delays: Difficulties completing age-appropriate physical tasks (e.g., jumping or climbing)
- Sideways glancing: Looking out of the sides of the eyes instead of making direct eye contact
- Sensory-defensiveness:
- Covering the ears from everyday sounds like vacuum cleaners or telephone rings
- Shielding the eyes from bright lights
- Sensitivity or revulsion to common smells
- Avoidance of certain textures like sand, wetness, certain fabrics
- Over-sensitivity or emotional reaction to tags in clothing, seams in socks, hairbrushing
- Avoidance of kisses, hugs, or other forms of affection
- Sensory-seeking behaviors: Always looking to “crash” into people, objects
- Pressure-seeking behavior: Trying to push the belly against objects, the floor, tables
- Head-banging
- Tongue hanging out of the mouth
- Failure to thrive, growth delays
- Arm flapping
- Low muscle tone
- Extreme or abnormal fatigue
- Difficulty waking
- Excessive sweating (night or daytime) or inability to regulate temperature
- Excessive hyperactivity
- Chronically swollen lymph nodes
- Obsessive or compulsive type behaviors; constant hoarding of toys, possessions
- Lining up toys, or other repetitive behaviors
- Persistent aggressive behavior
- Persistent non-compliant or oppositional behavior
- Tics (verbal or physical)
- Recurrent urinary tract infections
- Chronic vaginal infections
- Chronic athletes foot, ring worm or other fungal skin infections
- Snoring
Causes of Chronic Soft Signs and Symptoms
Although some of these symptoms may be strongly correlated with one particular underlying medical problem (e.g. red cheeks after eating is often associated with food allergies), many of these symptoms are “red flags” that there are multiple complex underlying biological disorders such as:
- Gut dysbiosis
- Immune dysregulation
- Mitochondrial dysfunction
- Autoimmunity
- Malabsorption
- Nutritional deficiencies
In other words, a child who experiences chronic constipation may have a food allergy, but may also be experiencing gut dysbiosis and mitochondrial dysfunction. In another example, a child who experiences chronic constipation may have:
- Food sensitivities and intolerances
- Mitochondrial dysfunction
- Immune dysregulation
- Malabsorption
- An autoimmune condition such as colitis or Crohn’s disease
- Nutritional deficiencies
It is of critical importance that a child with chronic symptoms be seen by an integrative or holistic medical practitioner who can help get to the underlying causes of the symptoms.
A good integrative health care practitioner will treat your child as a unique individual, tailoring treatment strategies to his or her needs. While many of our children may be suffering from similar underlying medical issues their path back to wellness may be as unique as they are.
Still Looking for Answers?
Visit the Documenting Hope Practitioner Directory to find a practitioner near you.
Join us inside our online membership community for parents, Healing Together, where you’ll find even more healing resources, expert guidance, and a community to support you every step of your child’s healing journey.
