“Everything I need to know… I learned in kindergarten.”
― Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten
Pre-school – Immunizations
When the first child under 2 yo. developed a severe seizure disorder after a measles vaccination it started the fire of resistance against immunizations which still burns today. Subsequent research proved that that child had a genetic abnormality as the CAUSE of her severe seizures, the Dravet syndrome. The immunization caused a fever that was a TRIGGER for the epilepsy. One study of 14 children with onset of epileptic encephalopathy after vaccination revealed that 11 of them had a genetic abnormality, Dravet syndrome. In a recent study of 45 children who had seizures within 24 hours of an inactivated virus immunization or within 12 days of a live virus vaccine, 65% of those children developing epilepsy after an immunization had an underlying genetic cause. The vaccines were NOT the cause. Fortunately only 16% of patients with that genetic defect will have a seizure from a fever following immunization. .(1)
Serious neurological illness is very rare after an immunization,… and the immunization does NOT cause it!
Kindergarten – IQ tests
Over 7000 pairs of twins in the UK were given the Goodenough (named for the developer) Draw-A-Person test and a standard intelligence test at age 4 and then at age 14. The Draw-A-Person test is a common measure of “school-readiness” for 5 year olds. The drawing of a “man, a woman, and themselves” is then scored for 14 different aspects (body parts, scale, etc.) producing a score composed of 64 items. At 14 years of age the same children were given another IQ test. “Figure drawing scores at age 4 correlated significantly with verbal and non-verbal intelligence at both age 4 and age 14.” This contradicted a previous study of 100 children (not in UK) that showed NO correlation between Draw-A- Person scores and standardized IQ test at pre-school age.
…But, you may only be as smart as you are in kindergarten.
Middle School – Apple Allergy
A 11 year old boy with a past history of patches of eczema previously responsive to usual treatment with steroid creams developed a whole-body dermatitis that did not clear up with 6 months of treatment. A variety of skin patch allergy tests revealed a 1+ reaction to nickel, a commonly seen cause of dermatitis in some people. Presumably he was being exposed to nickel by contact with his iPad surface that was positive for nickel. A plastic cover for the iPad resolved the rash. Cell phones, clothing fasteners, ear-piercing, video-game controllers, lap top computers , and some wind-up toys can also be sources of nickel allergic reactions by direct contact. (3)
iPads and other metal electronic products can cause a persistent allergic rash.
High School – School Start Time
Chronic sleep loss can impair academic achievement, physical health, and mental health. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently recommended that school should not start any sooner than 8:30 AM. Studies of high school seniors revealed that on average they sleep less than 7 hours a night and have difficulty falling asleep before 11 PM. The desired goal is 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep at night, and that “naps, sleeping later on weekends, and coffee do NOT restore optimal daytime alertness”. (4)
Later starting time for schools is good for kids.
College – Marijuana, Alcohol Use
Too much to say here about that right now. More later.
1. Pediatrics 2014 Sept 15.
2. Psychol Sci 2014 Aug 20
3. Pediatrics 2014 Aug 1
4. Pediatrics 2014 Sept.