Articles The Epidemic Soft Signs and Symptoms

Soft Signs and Symptoms

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.

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:

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:

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.

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