Getting to the root causes of your child’s condition or symptoms can be a little like playing health detective because of common abnormalities in biochemistry.

It can feel downright overwhelming to try and figure out what may be contributing to your child’s symptoms.

It helps, however, if you start by looking at imbalances that are commonly seen in children impacted by the “new childhood epidemics” such as autism, ADHD, asthma, allergies, autoimmune disorders and mood disorders.

Work with your healthcare practitioner to identify what may be out of balance in your child.

Common Biochemical Imbalances

The following is a list of possible underlying conditions and abnormalities in biochemistry that may be affecting your child.

Bring this list to your integrative practitioner and use it as discussion tool as you work together to identify your child’s underlying imbalances.

Ask your practitioner, “Might my child have . . . ?”

• Gastrointestinal abnormalities
  • SIBO
  • Organic Acid Test (OAT)
  • Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis (CDSA)
  • Clostridia
  • Proprionic acid
  • Parasites
• Relevant genetic mutations (SNPs – single nucleotide polymorphisms)
  • MTHFR
  • SUOX
  • CBS
  • Catechol O-Methyl Transferase (COMT)
  • GAD 65 (Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase)
  • Others
• Excessive inflammation / oxidative stress
  • C-reactive protein (CRP)
  • Homocysteine
  • Phospholipase A2 (PLA-2)
• Metallothionein protein dysfunction
• Seizures (absence seizures are often missed!)
  • EEG (electroencephalograph)
• Mitochondrial disorder/dysfunction
  • Carnitine
  • Free carnitine
  • Alinine
  • Lysine
  • Lactic acid
• Neurotransmitter imbalances
  • Excitotoxicity (excess glutamate)
  • Serotonin: Quinolinic/5-Hydroxyindoleacetic (5-HIAA) ratio
• Imbalances in fatty acids, malabsorption of fats
  • Fatty acid profile
• Low cholesterol
• Lyme and Lyme co-infections
  • Lyme
  • Borrelia
  • Babesia
  • Bartonella
  • Erlichia
• PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infection) and PANS (Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome)
  • Cunningham panel
  • Serum ASO titer (Anti-Streptolysin O)
  • Serum ASDB titer (Anti-Streptococcal DNase B)
  • Lyme
  • Borrelia
  • Babesia
  • Bartonella
  • Erlichia
  • Specific viruses, especially herpetic viruses
    • Epstein-Barr virus
    • Herpes simplex viruses
    • HHV-6
    • Varicella
    • Shingles
    • CMV (cytomegalovirus)
    • Measles
  • Pathogenic bacterial infection, such as Staphylococcus aureus
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection
    
  • Influenza infection
  • Heavy metals and other toxins
• Cerebral folate deficiency and defect in folic acid metabolism
• Low lithium
• Epigenetics factors that might impact health (such as a family with a history of trauma)
• Kryptopyrroluria (pyrolle disorder)
• Congenital hypothyroidism (common if Mom has a thyroid condition!)
• Toxic overload
  • Toxic elements test
  • Heavy metal hair test
• G-Alpha protein abnormalities
• High viral or bacterial loads
  • Specific viruses, especially herpetic viruses
    • Epstein-Barr virus
    • Herpes simplex viruses
    • HHV-6
    • Varicella
    • Shingles
    • CMV (cytomegalovirus)
    • Measles
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection
  • Clostridia
• Type 1 diabetes
• Insulin resistance
  • Fasting glucose
  • Hemoglobin A1C
• Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) and nitrix oxide – reduce inflammation
• Low glutathione
• Catecholamine deficiencies
  • Dopamine
  • Norepinephrine
  • Epinephrine
• TGF – Beta 1 Cytokine Transforming Growth Factor (Autoimmune)

While exploring these areas of concern, it is important make sure the child’s diet, environment and lifestyle be as clean as possible to support and enhance the healing process.

Still Looking for Answers?

Visit the Epidemic Answers 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.