Today’s episode is one of a kind - an expert leads us into incredible detail into the physical and physiological principles behind picky eating and other feeding disorders, specially in children and adults with Down syndrome. If that sounds complex, I assure you that while it is complex, it is not complicated. Dr. Kay Toomey, in this episode talks to us about postural stability and breathing and how they relate to Feeding Delays.  I love it when an expert takes us back to the basics. We are often so busy looking for hacks to a particular issue that we lose track of the fundamentals. This episode is just that - a journey back to the very basics, so we can pick up what we missed and address the root cause of picky eating. You can find Dr. Toomey at www.sosapproachtofeeding.com and you can find her freebie made just for you - a collection of Low Oral Motor Demand Foods at www.functionalnutritionforkids.com/feedingsos Clicking on the above link will also give you an ACTION handout of this podcast. 

What information does LIGHT bring to your child? Can artificial sources of light actually lower attention and cause dysregulation? Can you hear a light?  Roudy Nassif, founder of VivaRays, and all-round light wiz leaves us with a lot of really new information about how light influences every body system we have and leaves us with 3 tips to use light to our benefit (and our kids’ benefit) Go outside and witness the sunrise for at least 15 mins.  I just started doing this, and I can attest that I feel a lot more energetic in the mornings. Listen on for more of Roudy’s insights on attention, light, sensory overwhelm and regulation! You can find more information at http://www.vivarays.com/

Is school the right place for Education? Today we discuss this age-old question with some interesting twists. If you are the parent of a child with Autism / Down Syndrome / Cerebral Palsy / Other hidden disabilities, you might find that the questions about school are very different for you.  I provide an decision / question framework to help you decide for yourself.

Wouldn’t you love it if there were natural, plant-sourced, HERBAL alternatives to everything chronic you have been struggling with for your or your child, whether that be attention or digestive issues or immune support? Today’s guest Dr. Mary Bove is a herbal medicine expert and takes us through the ins and outs of herbal medicine, when it works and what is often missed in application for kids. Here’s a spoiler: Dr. Bove’s favorite herbs for kids under 5 are: Fennel Seed Chamomile Flowers Lemon Balm You can use these in teas / extracts / baths / glycerin extracts / add them to water or juices, and so on…. You can read Dr. Mary Love at [email protected] And make sure to get your free Gut Health Kit at www.functionalnutritionforkids.com/guthealth

NOTE: This Episode is Available on YOUTUBE at https://youtu.be/aGRTnqxvsqg Danny Whitty is a nonspeaking Autistic and Apraxic man, who was unable to communicate his thoughts for 30 years of his life. He now uses S2C (Spelling to Communicate) to share his deep insight, advocacy, writing and poetry with the world. In this episode, Danny shares about the people that have made a difference in his life, about how access to communication has completely transformed the way he shares, and the immense importance of communication and respect in the world of Non-Speaking Autistic people. If you have an Autistic child who is either non-speaking or minimally speaking or “unreliably” speaking (which means that there is a body-mind disconnect, that older autistics often talk about where what one says isn’t really what one wants to say) - I do hope you consider RPM or S2C to take your child’s communication journey onward. In this episode, Danny speaks about his experience with ABA, and how that might have led to even simple communication being unreliable (saying YES when means NO, for example). You can find Danny at https://dannywithwords.com/ and https://dannywithwords.com/the-ocean-us-podcast/ . Learn more about Assuming Intelligence and Non-Linear Education at www.functionalnutritionforkids.com/nonlineareducation

Some studies indicate that up to 50% of preschool aged kids might be considered picky eaters. It also reveals, on a more subtle level that most strategies that are used to help picky eating are behavioral / parenting, though Picky Eating is typically NOT a behavior response, nor a result of poor parenting.  Behavior is communication, what is viewed as negative behavior is an expression of pain / discomfort / frustration or even a lack of security or safety.  We are going to review the 18 most suggested tips for picky eaters and see what’s common between them, what works and what does NOT work! These are not MY tips, I agree with some of them, I actually don’t agree with some of them, but this is what you are likely to hear the most often when you look up picky eating.  Let us sort through 18 of the most common tips! Do check out my picky eating toolkit - for a functional nutrition perspective - at www.functionalnutritionforkids.com/eatwell

Laura Fuentes, Author of my favorite cookbook Taco Tuesdays, mom, CEO and Instagram Star talks to us in very clear wisdom about what it takes to work with food struggles, dining table power struggles and mom fatigue.   If you think that in your home, picky eating may be more of a communication - mis-communication issue or a struggle that has less biochemistry and more behavior, this is the podcast for you!   Laura shares 3 tips about how you can manage your mindset right away: Cook One meal Stop micromanaging the eating process Look at nutrition as a big picture - instead of meal to meal I especially liked the last point. But there is a lot more wisdom here. Please listen on…. You can find Laura at www.momables.com Find your Free Picky Eating Toolkit at www.functionalnutritionforkids.com/eatwell

For the first time I explore the fascinating world of  Functional Labs. Nichole Herms - a fellow Chemist who is a researcher at Spectracell Labs. In this podcast we explore how Lymphocyte Proliferation Assays (which is the technology Spectracell uses) can go beyond testing your child's current blood levels of nutrients to truly understanding: - Bioavailability of the nutrient - Accessibility (can your child use it) - Functional Need for the nutrient Which means two people that eat the same diet and have similar lifestyles - may now show up with completely *functional need* values.  This discussion is phenomenal in its detail. You might just go running out to order a Spectracell test.  www.spectracell.com Note: Doors to Roadmap to Attention and Regulation are open for the next 10 days only. To learn how to use Food as Medicine to Increase Attention and Reduce Hyperactivity, ENROLL TODAY!  

NOTE, I recommend that you check out the YOUTUBE VIDEO with subtitles HERE  Imane uses a speech generating device - and sometimes the audio isn't completely clear - even though Imane's thoughts are beyond Crystal Clear. So do check out the VIDEO version of this podcast, so you can soak in Imane's beautiful language completely. [I would have uploaded the video here, but have a data limit] In this last episode of 2021, non-speaking Autistic poet Imane Boukaila shares her strong, beautifully framed thoughts.  Imane comes to language in a very unique way and to listen (and in our case also read) her thoughts is a deep insight and I now understand why she says "Shallow thinkers would drown in the depths of Autistic Minds" ~ Happy Listening!

Kathlena, the Allergy Chef, has over 200 food allergies and intolerances, so many more than others can even imagine. And having been through this complex and hard journey, brings a uniquely empowered and scientific mindset to working with food restrictions.  I can truly say that talking to Kathlena changed my perspective on how to work with foods. If you want to understand how to make cooking a precise science - done with the passion of an art - look no farther. Episode notes at www.functionalnutritionforkids.com/2021/82 Use code functional50 for 50% off your first month of membership at RAISE (Kathlena's Recipe Finder) https://goraise.net/ That code is good for 1 year. Free Ebook on gut health at www.functionalnutritionforkids.com/guthealth