Holistic Pediatricians

Dr. Chheda – What is folic acid? There’s been a lot of talk recently about folic acid and how it might help kids who have autism. So folic acid is vitamin B9. It is one of the B vitamins. Typically we eat foods that contain a lot of B vitamins, or you might even take a B supplement. And then the body has to convert folic acid into methylfolate. Once it’s converted, then it can penetrate the brain, and it is important for neural development.

Moms, when you were pregnant, you were told to take folic acid either in your prenatal vitamin or as an extra supplement to help with brain development. That is what vitamin B9 does. That’s what folic acid does. But your body has to convert it into the proper form.

Now if you’re missing the enzyme to convert it, then it’s not gonna do anything. So sometimes it’s better just to take the form that is already converted, and that’s called methylfolate. Once you take methylfolate, or once your child takes methylfolate, then it can actually penetrate the brain and help with neural development. That is how it is helping some kids on the spectrum. They may not have the enzyme to convert it. They may not be eating enough vitamin B9 containing foods because of their restricted diet. So you give them a methylfolate supplement, and that should be sufficient to help with neural development. And once neurons develop properly, then their full development can proceed and progress.

And this is true for everybody, not just kids on the spectrum. Everybody should be taking some methylfolate if you don’t have the enzyme to convert folic acid into methylfolate. If you have the enzyme, just eat a lot of folic acid containing foods like broccoli and kidney beans.

Dr. Chheda – The best temperature for the body to sleep is below 68 degrees. Studies were actually done on newborn babies where the temperature was at 68 degrees and there was a ceiling fan, and the babies only had a onesie on. That’s when the babies slept the best. If a newborn baby can do that, you can do that. The warmer it is, the more blood flows to the brain, the more the brain gets stimulated, the more nightmares your child has, and the more likely they’re going to wake up.

So regardless if your child is a newborn, a toddler, a teenager, they will sleep much, much better if you can keep the temperature below 68 degrees in their bedroom.

I’ve had so many parents who’ve had sleep issues come back and tell me, “As soon as I turned that thermostat down, they slept through the night.”

If you want a great sleep, turn that thermostat down.

Dr. Chheda – School has started and so many parents are rejoicing because their kids are back into a routine. But guess what? The kids are also rejoicing.

Routine is important for kids. It gives them a sense of security, of safety, of comfort. When you are faced with the unknown, there is a lot of anxiety and fear that pops up, and then kids act out. So you think kids are being mischievous or naughty, but it’s just because they don’t know what’s gonna happen next. It’s just their way of reacting to the fear of the unknown.

So when they have a regular routine that is consistent and they can rely on it, they are much better equipped. Their moods are better, and you don’t have to have a lot of fights anymore.

So even though they might say “I don’t like school,” they actually like the routine.

🏊 I went swimming yesterday and my ear hurts so much. I think I have swimmer’s ear. It’s painful, super painful, but very common in kids, especially in the summer. Or adults, or adults.

And it doesn’t hurt like the inside of the ear hurts. It more hurts to the touch of the outside of the ear. So if I’m looking at Miss Courtney and I kind of pull here or touch right here, she would have some excruciating pain.

We don’t usually treat with antibiotics, actually. It’s more of the antibiotic steroid drops that we use, and it’s 4 drops twice a day for a week. And it usually gets better within a couple days.

Please don’t swim when you have swimmer’s ear because that can only make it worse.

🏊 I went swimming yesterday and my ear hurts so much. I think I have swimmer’s ear. It’s painful, super painful, but very common in kids, especially in the summer. Or adults, or adults.

And it doesn’t hurt like the inside of the ear hurts. It more hurts to the touch of the outside of the ear. So if I’m looking at Miss Courtney and I kind of pull here or touch right here, she would have some excruciating pain.

We don’t usually treat with antibiotics, actually. It’s more of the antibiotic steroid drops that we use, and it’s 4 drops twice a day for a week. And it usually gets better within a couple days.

Please don’t swim when you have swimmer’s ear because that can only make it worse.

👩‍⚕️ Hi, I’m Doctor Chheda. I’m a Board Certified Pediatrician. I focus on your whole child. I have a holistic approach where I treat the body, the mind, and the spirit. This is a focus on nutrition to help you raise your child in a vibrant, resilient manner.

Please follow @harmonypeds on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Dr. Chheda – 👶 I had a parent recently asked me about elimination communication. What is that? It’s helping your child go diaper-free at an earlier age.

Can you have elimination communication with your child? Of course you can. You know, back in the caveman days there were no diapers. Diapers are a relatively recent invention. Does your child need a diaper? Not really.

Can every child go diaper-free? No, it does take a lot of time for you as parent. It has to be the right child, it has to be the right parent, it has to be the right environment. It will take a little bit of time, but yeah, you definitely can do elimination communication with your child. You can go diaper-free.

Just know that you do need a backup for most of the time, and at some point we will get them completely toilet trained. So if you have any questions, feel free, come in. We’ll talk about elimination communication.

💙 “Have the Day You Deserve Mom”: Twin Moms Surviving Middle School Together

Formatted Transcript:

“Have the day you deserve, mom.” One of my 6th graders said that to me today. I think we haven’t talked in a long time about being, you know, twin parents, but we’re twin moms. Yep. And my 6th grader, out of frustration, said “have the day you deserve.” But I’m so confused as to what he was confused, frustrated about. How are you all coping with sixth grade? Everyone keeps telling me we’ll get middle school, everyone keeps telling me, you know, it’s waves – ride the waves. But I’m not okay. Middle school is hard. I’m not okay.

Yeah, middle school’s tough. You know, most of them are going through puberty and struggling with all the hormones, struggling with the new school, you know, really trying to fit in, which also is a struggle. I will tell you, 7th grade is the hardest, but it does get better. My high schoolers are now talking to me, they’re not rolling their eyes as much.

Oh, so it does get better? It does get better, but just be patient. Try to talk to them, hug them even though they don’t want to be hugged, love on them. Tell them that you’re always there and be their support. And take “have the day you deserve” as a beautiful one. There we go.

Dr. Chheda – 🎓 Your child is going to college for the first time – how exciting! And then they need all this stuff: do they need an air filter, do they need a fan, do they need sheets for their beds, and then their towels and their clothes.

🏥 What about their health? I send my kids away with a basic college health kit. It includes some essential first aid supplies like bandages, antiseptic, a thermometer, and basic over-the-counter medications like pain relievers, antacids, and allergy medicine.

📋 I also include important health information – emergency contacts, their insurance card, a list of any medications they take, and information about the campus health center. Most importantly, I make sure they know when to seek professional medical care versus when they can handle something on their own.

💚 So I offer guidance on college health preparation for my families. If you’re interested, feel free to come by Harmony Pediatrics. We can discuss creating an appropriate health kit and preparing your college student to make good health decisions while away from home.

Dr. Chheda – Recently I saw a mom with her 12-month-old, and I have to tell you, just as I told this mom, I was really, really proud of her. For when we were done with the exam, mom and I were talking and, you know, child was getting kind of wiggly, squirmy in her arms. I said, “Please put him down.” She put him down, she let him play. It was amazing that she let him play – 12-month-old without needing to give him the phone. That’s what I was really proud of.

You do not have to give your phone to your child just to keep them quiet. They will play, they will learn, they will explore. That is what they need to do at this age to learn about the world.

Yeah, so what if they’re banging pots and pans? Yes, it makes noise, but that’s what they learn – cause and effect. If I hit something, it will make noise. Kids need to play.

We are now giving out prescriptions for playtime. How ridiculous is that? Just let your child play. That’s how they learn.