1) Contact Information
Leslie Solomonian, BSc ,ND
Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine
1255 Sheppard Ave. E., Toronto, ON M2K 1E2
416-498-1255 ext. 393
2) Presentation title
A Call to Action –Engaging withnature in pediatric practice
3) Short description of presentation (up to 100 words)
This presentation will call participants to action with respect to giving children the opportunity to interact with nature, minimizing toxic burden, and using the unique modalities of naturopathic medicine to promote health in children within the top two levels of the therapeutic order. An overview of the impacts (both positive and negative) of the natural and synthetic environment on pediatric and lifelong health will inspire attendees to engage in problem solving. Opportunity will be given to work in small groups to generate strategies for utilizing nature cure in pediatric practice, and promoting the benefits of nature at a public health level. Participants will come away with practical inspiration for engaging in leadership and taking action in their own communities.
4) Statement explaining your suggested time allotment as well as any relevant topics that could fit alongside your proposed topic.
To fully explore this topic in small groups, 90 minutes would be ideal. Other topics that could fit with this one could include practical application of hydrotherapy and botanicals to children (making poultices, compresses, etc.); possibly a session on activism – how can NDs engage with policy makers to effect change on a public health level? Any session on pediatric vulnerability to environmental toxins would also fit well.
5) Abstract.2
Learning objectives:
To incorporate concepts of nature cure in pediatric care.
To design a plan of management that resides in the top two levels of the therapeutic order.
To demonstrate the importance of intervention at multiple levels (individual to government).
To simplify pediatric care through the healing power of nature.
The vitality of children allows them to respond dramatically to small shifts in input, whether health promoting or suppressing. Their unique sensitivity to environmental toxins, the natural environment and psychoneuroimmunological processes allow the practitioner to utilize the top two levels of the therapeutic order liberally, operating as closely with the vis as possible. Such an approach to pediatric care is innately dependent on interacting with nature in an intentional and conscientious way.
The beginning of the presentation will focus on communication of evidence as to the unique impact of the environment on children’s health and well-being. Key points include:
-Lack of outdoor play, and poor access to quality outdoor environments has a detrimental impact on the physical and mental health of children through adolescence 1,2
-Children are particularly vulnerable to exposure to environmental toxins due to behavioural and physiological mechanism, including increased ingestion/inhalation per body mass, increased rate of growth (bioaccumulation) and increased epithelial permeability 2,3,4
-Increased exposure to high quality outdoor settings and decreased exposure to environmental toxins have a positive impact on pediatric health, with longterm benefits 1,2,5,6,8
-As powerful determinants of health with strong correlations to measurable markers of wellness and disease, exposure to uncontaminated natural environments is a powerful contributer to the establishment of “optimal conditions for health” as per the therapeutic order
-Tapping into the natural environment and nature-based therapies (botanical medicine, hydrotherapy, nature-bathing, physical activity, etc.) are effective methods of activating the vis
-Given that neighbourhoods have varying “greenness” and access to natural environments may be variable, naturopathic doctors and other health care providers may play a particularly important role in advocating for pediatric health at multiple levels individual/family health; community advocacy, policy development 2,5,7
The second phase of the workshop will be the presentation of a case study that gives attendees the opportunity in small groups to apply some of these concepts into a plan for a child with respect to health promotion/anticipatory guidance. Each group of participants will be asked to consider a different level of intervention (individual, family, community, government, etc.), and to keep their plan to the top two levels of the therapeutic order.
The third phase of the workshop will bring participants back together for a facilitated discussion of strategies and ideas generated, with the intention to inspire taking action in our home jurisdictions and practices.
No part of this presentation will address pharmaceuticals.
Background evidence for impact of nature on children (30)
Case presentation Break out into small groups to work on assessing and designing a plan for a child that utilizes top two levels of therapeutic order with nature in mind; applying nature cure to kids (health promotion, varying locales, etc.) (30)
Plenary sharing of plans (30)
6) Biographical sketch3 (up to 150 words) for each presenter
Leslie Solomonian is an assistant professor and clinic supervisor at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto, Ontario. She completed a two-year residency in general medicine at CCNM, and has been faculty since 2007. She teaches a variety of academic courses, including second year clinical medicine, second year “Foundations of Naturopathic Medicine”, and pediatrics. She has experimented with a variety of delivery methods and strategies, honing her ability to inspire and educate. In 2012, Leslie was awarded the Excellence in Teaching award from the graduating class. Leslie is a member of the CAND, the NDO and the PedANP for whom she delivered a webinar in June 2012. Leslie maintains a private family practice in Toronto, where she emphasizes the therapeutic order and connection with nature.
References
1.Mainella FP, Agate JR, Clark BS. Outdoor-based play and reconnection to nature: a neglected pathway to positive youth development. New Dir Youth Dev. 2011 Summer;2011(130):89-104.
2.McCurdy LE, Winterbottom KE, Mehta SS, Roberts JR. Using nature and outdoor activity to improve children's health. CurrProblPediatrAdolesc Health Care. 2010 May;40(5):102-17.
3.Giusti F, Martella A, Bertoni L, Seidenari S. Skin barrier, hydration, and pH of the skin of infants under 2 years of age.PediatrDermatol. 2001 Mar-Apr;18(2):93-6.
4.Tania G Gavidia,1Jenny Pronczuk de Garbino,2 and Peter D Sly1,3 Children's environmental health: an under-recognised area in paediatric health care. BMC Pediatr. 2009; 9: 10.
5.Perera FP. Children are likely to suffer most from our fossil fuel addiction. Environ Health Perspect. 2008 Aug;116(8):987-90.
6.Bellinger DC. Children's cognitive health: the influence of environmental chemical exposures.AlternTher Health Med. 2007 Mar-Apr;13(2):S140-4.
7.Grigsby-Toussaint DS, Chi SH, Fiese BH; STRONG Kids Project Writing Group. Where they live, how they play: neighborhood greenness and outdoor physical activity among preschoolers. Int J Health Geogr. 2011 Dec 14;10:66.
8.Söderström M, Boldemann C, Sahlin U, Mårtensson F, Raustorp A, Blennow M. The quality of the outdoor environment influences childrens health - a cross-sectional study of preschools. ActaPaediatr. 2013 Jan;102(1):83-91.