I was sharing with a mom of a toddler recently and was discussing some of my own observations with little ones when it comes to toxicant exposures. I thought I’d share the information here as well.

In this post, I’ll share some of the main symptoms in babies and toddlers I’ve documented over the years, and from what I experienced raising our children.

Symptoms that may point to a toxicant exposure in babies and toddlers include but are not limited to:

-Avoidance of eye contact
-Abnormal pain tolerance (not feeling pain)
-Back arching/not wanting to be held
-Constant constipation
-Dark circles under eyes that don’t go away with sleep
-Constant ear infections
-Excessive crying that cannot be soothed
-Flailing hands and head banging
-Constant gas and stomach upset
-Loss of speech
-Sensitivity to foods
-Constant screaming/agitation while in a car seat
-Chronic sinus congestion
-Sneezing attacks after waking and sitting up
-Sour stomach/acidic bowel movements
-Speech delays
-Constant hair pulling
-Motor/Vocal tics like constant throat clearing, gasping for breath, blinking, shrugging the shoulders (toddlers)
-Learning and language regression (toddlers)
-Waking up all throughout the night to nurse after 6 months
-Continuous inability to sleep or take naps
-Excessive hiccups both in utero and after birth

Newborns and toddler’s are more vulnerable than adults when it comes to toxicant exposures.

Their little bodies are still developing and although children are said to be resilient, they cannot outgrow the effects of a toxicant exposure.

Saying that young children are resilient and will outgrow symptoms associated with toxic mold exposure, for example, is like saying that they will outgrow the symptoms that come along with daily lead poisoning. It just doesn’t make sense!

What can you do if your little one has some or many of these symptoms?

1. Listen to your God given intuition. If you feel that something is off, don’t ignore it. Pray and ask God for wisdom and to show you where the problem stems from.
   
2. Rule out the environment as a possible cause for their symptoms. This includes:

–Toxic mold in the home and/or daycare facility. (This is the most important thing to rule out.) Exposure to molds like Stachybotrys can cause damage to the immune system and brain, resulting in conditions like Basil Ganglia Encephalitis and/or PANS. This type of mold exposure can set the stage for a child to develop food intolerances and become hypersensitive to other things in their environment.

-Elevated levels of formaldehyde and other dangerous chemicals in synthetic flooring, carpeting, baby’s mattress, new building materials, etc.

-Assessing the home, especially the child’s room, for EMFs.

-Assessing water for radioactive elements and other toxins.

-Asses the home for hidden gas leaks.

-Assessing for heavy metal poisoning and or injury due to standard medical procedures performed at well-child visits.

3. Rule out hidden infections/pathogens. Group A Streptococcus (Strep) can lead to conditions like PANDAS, a type of Autoimmune Encephalitis.

After assessing for possible causes, what else can you do?

1. Address any found issues in the child’s environment responsibly and avoid known toxicants like toxic mold.
2. Reduce or preferably eliminate all exposure to fragrances, household chemicals (personal care and cleaning), and synthetics.
3. Support their fascia, vagus nerve and immune system via CFT, movement and touch therapy.
4. Address any known food allergies or intolerances, especially if still drinking formula.

My hope with this post is to educate and help bring some clarity to any moms out there who may be wondering if what their little one is experiencing is normal.

I understand this information can be the reason for worry, but it’s not my intention to cause fear or make you panic. As a mom who has navigated some dark waters health-wise with my children, I understand the worry and the late nights asking God for help.

Please know that this post is shared solely with the intention to encourage and equip you so you can search for answers and help your little ones thrive.

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Don’t forget to share it with others. Also, if your baby or toddler has been affected by toxic mold exposure or by other toxicants share your experience below in the comments section.

As always, nothing shared here is intended to be medical advice. Information shared is
solely for educational purposes.

Chemical Free Gal

You can access a shorter version of this post on Instagram by clicking here.