Heavy Metals & Children

Many have read or heard about the damage heavy metals can do to a developing child’s mind and overall health. There are three main ways to test for metals and each is different. It is recommended children with the following symptoms or diagnosis get tested.

The test is recommended because it is important to measure the toxic metals in the body that may impede on neurological development, decrease mineral stores and interfere with proper growth. The hair test is the most common to run first, this gives a snap shot of the metal load and is simple and economical. The blood test is the best way to detect recent acute exposures to metals and does not tell you if the body is burdened by toxic metals like a urine test. Lastly, the urine test is the most sensitive because a chelating agent is used for this test to draw out the toxins that are stored in the tissues and really give accurate information on total body metal burden. The urine test is not a good test to do initially without first looking at the digestive system via stool and urine to determine the underlying issues. In addition the urine test should be done when your physician feels the body can handle a chelating agent successfully, this varies for each child.

In today’s world we are bombarded with metals in our environment even when we eat organic and do all we can to be healthy. Your doctor can review some of the most common ways we get heavy metals and at home you can make necessary changes to avoid additional exposure. As always this is one small piece of the puzzle you may need to help heal your child.