Soaring Child: Thriving with ADHD

Most parents assume ADHD and eczema are completely separate. One is the brain. One is the skin. But what if both are signs that the body is overloaded? In this episode of the Soaring Child Podcast, Dana Kay sits down with Andra McHugh, founder of Eczema Kids and creator of the Eczema Elimination Method, to explore the powerful connection between the gut, immune system, inflammation, skin, environment, nervous system, and brain.
After watching two of her own children struggle with severe eczema as a baby and toddler, Andra stopped asking, "What cream do I use next?" and started asking, "Why does this keep happening?" That one question changed everything. Through years of research, trial and error, and hands-on experience with families, Andra developed a whole-body approach to eczema that looks beyond symptom management and starts addressing the deeper stressors underneath.
In this conversation, Dana and Andra discuss why eczema is not just a skin issue, how gut dysfunction and inflammation can show up through both skin and behavior, why food triggers are only one piece of the puzzle, and how hidden environmental stressors like mold, off-gassing, and EMFs can contribute to flare-ups. Parents will also learn practical first steps they can take right away, including whole foods, opening windows, reducing toxic exposures, and using Epsom salt baths to support detoxification, mineral levels, and nervous system regulation.
LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW
Eczema Kids: https://eczemakids.com
Skin Comfort Trio: https://eczemakids.com/products/eczema-kids-organic-skin-comfort-trio?variant=43030641672239
7 Eczema-Friendly Meals Your Kids Will Actually Eat: https://eczemakids.com/pages/7-eczema-friendly-meals-and-snacks-kids-will-actually-eat
Connect with Andra McHugh:
Web: https://eczemakids.com
Eczema Kids YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EczemaKids
Eczema Kids Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1hya9jpNSRCfbLHc84Oi1h
Eczema Kids Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eczema-kids-natural-eczema-solutions-eczema-diet-eczema/id1607911865
Eczema Kids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eczema.kids/
Eczema Kids Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3218060598452484

KEY TAKEAWAYS
[0:00] Dana opens by asking whether eczema, itchy skin, allergies, skin flare-ups, and ADHD may be more connected than most parents realize.
[0:28] Dana explains that eczema often overlaps with gut issues, allergies, sensory sensitivity, sleep problems, anxiety, big emotions, and inflammation.
[1:53] Dana introduces the idea that chronic symptoms are often the body's way of communicating that something deeper is overloaded.
[3:50] Andra shares the moment conventional advice failed her family, when she was told to use steroid creams and hope her children grew out of eczema.
[4:17] Andra explains that she knew this could not be the ceiling of her children's health or the story they were meant to live.
[5:43] Andra reminds parents that they are often the true drivers of their child's outcomes because they shape food, home environment, and daily routines.
[7:07] Andra explains that eczema is not really a skin condition at its root, even though the rash and itching show up on the skin.
[7:32] Andra describes eczema as something that can spread like a wildfire and explains that the outside skin can mirror what is happening inside the gut.
[8:43] Dana connects eczema and ADHD by explaining that both are often treated as isolated conditions instead of signs of deeper stress in the body.
[12:23] Andra explains that she often saves testing for later and starts by reducing systemic inflammation through food and lifestyle changes first.
[14:40] Andra connects eczema to the total load concept, explaining that some children's inflammation buckets seem full from the very beginning.
[16:20] Andra names hidden environmental stressors that may contribute to eczema, including mold, new furniture, new cars, renovated homes, drywall, flooring, adhesives, and off-gassing.
[19:50] Andra explains why she was concerned about both conventional steroid creams and many natural skincare products that still contained ingredients not ideal for eczema-prone skin.
[24:39] Andra shares that real whole foods are one of the best first steps parents can take to reduce inflammation and support healing.
[25:39] Andra's final practical tip is Epsom salt baths, which may help with inflammation, mineral support, detoxification, and nervous system regulation.
MEMORABLE MOMENTS
"What if the skin is actually another way the body communicates overload?"
"It's almost like the body is waving little red flags everywhere saying, hey, something deeper is going on here."
"so often the body is trying to communicate that something underneath the surface is overloaded."
"the best you can do is really slather on these steroid creams and know, hope in a prayer, hope they grow out of it."
"this just can't be the ceiling of their health."
"This cannot be their story. This is not what my children are here for."
"my kids were so uncomfortable and itchy and their skin was just literally falling off."
"You're the buyer and the server of the food. You're the CEO of the home and the creator of the environment."
"It's not really a skin condition at all."
"It feels like a wildfire that you just like cannot get, can't get a handle on it."
"your outside skin is a mirror of your intestinal lining."
"how are they born with just their inflammation buckets already overflowing?"
"They're already full. And now you have to take these extra measures to take some things out of their bucket"
"they're just little sponges."
DANA KAY RESOURCES
🔗 WEBSITES:
Order Lab Tests Here - https://adhdthriveinstitute.wellproz.com/patient/home 
https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/
https://dana-kay.com/
👋 SOCIALS:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ADHDThriveInstitute/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ADHDThriveInstitute
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhd-thrive-institute/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/adhdthriveinstitute/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adhd_thriveinstitute
📕 INTERNATIONAL BEST SELLING BOOK:
Thriving with ADHD – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/
💻 FREE MASTERCLASS:
Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass - https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl
⭐ COURSES & PROGRAMS:
ADHD Parenting Course – https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd
ADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/

When a child screams, "I hate you," "You're the worst mom ever," or "I wish you weren't my parent," it can feel deeply personal. But in this episode of the Soaring Child Podcast, child and family therapist Ashley Gobeil explains that these explosive moments are often not signs of defiance, manipulation, or bad parenting. They are often signs of a dysregulated nervous system, emotional overwhelm, and a child who does not yet have the language or tools to express what is really going on inside.
In this powerful conversation, Dana Kay and Ashley unpack what is really happening underneath intense ADHD-related meltdowns, why shame can keep both parents and children stuck in painful cycles, and how parents can respond in a way that calms the storm instead of feeding it. Ashley shares practical language parents can use in the moment, how to hold boundaries without escalating the situation, and why repair after a rupture is so important for building emotional regulation, connection, and long-term accountability.
This episode is a compassionate reminder that parents do not have to get it perfect. They simply need to keep showing up, one moment at a time.
LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW
Ashley Gobeil's Website: https://ashleychildtherapies.com.au
Ashley Gobeil on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healing_with_ashley
Ashley Gobeil on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashley.gobeil.50
ADHD Thrive Institute: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/
ADHD Thrive Jumpstart 4 Parenting: https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd
Free ADHD Masterclass: https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl
KEY TAKEAWAYS
[03:50] Hurtful words during meltdowns are usually communication, not defiance.
When a child says things like "I hate you," Ashley explains that there is usually something much deeper happening underneath the behavior.
[04:44] In the moment, it is not deliberate disrespect.
Ashley emphasizes that these moments are often intense overwhelm, not a conscious choice to attack the parent.
[05:42] Kids with ADHD often have very few tools available when dysregulated.
When their nervous system is overwhelmed, the tools they may have learned often "go out the window."
[06:39] Their nervous system can experience ordinary requests as threats.
Even something as simple as being asked to put shoes away can trigger fight, flight, or freeze when a child is already overwhelmed.
[07:35] "I hate you" may really mean "I feel out of control."
Ashley explains that hurtful words often point to feelings like fear, shame, grief, lack of control, or not feeling understood.
[09:15] Parents can shift their response by changing the lens.
Instead of seeing the child as disrespectful or defiant, parents can view the behavior as a window into distress.
[10:28] Shame can create a painful loop for both parent and child.
The child may feel ashamed after losing control, and the parent may spiral into thoughts like "Have I failed?" or "What am I doing wrong?"
[15:44] The parent's internal response comes first.
Ashley encourages parents to remind themselves: "My child is not giving me a hard time. They're having a hard time."
[17:35] Naming the feeling can help deescalate the moment.
Parents can say things like, "You're really angry with me right now," or "Something really big must have happened for you to say that."
[22:43] Repair is essential, and it is never too late.
Ashley explains that repair after rupture helps rebuild connection, reduce shame, and teach emotional accountability over time.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS
"Have you ever had one of those moments where your child looks straight at you and says, I hate you. You're the worst mom ever. I wish you weren't my parent."
"children's behaviors are a form of communication."
"it is not a deliberate defiant moment or a deliberate disrespect."
"they just go straight into the survival nervous system response."
"There's just like tons of stuff happening at once and like their nervous system's on fire."
"I feel really out of control. I feel like I don't get to make choice. I don't feel understood."
"So so many of them actually feel terrible by themselves."
"every single child has this deep innate desire to have a positive, loving relationship with their parent."
"These are just words. This is not an emergency. This is not a reflection of my parenting."
"It is never too late to go back and have a repair conversation."
DANA KAY RESOURCES
🔗 WEBSITES:
Order Lab Tests Here - https://adhdthriveinstitute.wellproz.com/patient/home 
https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/
https://dana-kay.com/
👋 SOCIALS:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ADHDThriveInstitute/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ADHDThriveInstitute
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhd-thrive-institute/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/adhdthriveinstitute/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adhd_thriveinstitute
📕 INTERNATIONAL BEST SELLING BOOK:
Thriving with ADHD – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/
💻 FREE MASTERCLASS:
Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass - https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl
⭐ COURSES & PROGRAMS:
ADHD Parenting Course – https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd
ADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/

What if your child's ADHD symptoms are being made worse because of the toxic load they are carrying? In this episode, Dana Kay continues the functional lab testing series by exploring toxic load, including mold toxins, heavy metals, and everyday environmental chemicals that can quietly build up in the body and impact symptoms.
Dana explains the Total Tox Panel, a urine test that looks at three important areas: mold toxins, heavy metals, and environmental chemicals. Using her memorable "trash can" analogy, she explains how the body is designed to clear waste and toxins, but many children with ADHD struggle to empty that trash can effectively. When the body's detox pathways are overwhelmed, the result can be inflammation, nervous system stress, brain fog, mood swings, hyperactivity, and poor regulation.
This episode helps parents understand why symptoms may not fully shift even after cleaning up the diet, supporting the gut, and adding nutrients. For families who feel like they have tried everything, toxic load may be one of the missing layers worth exploring. Dana shares what she has seen after working with over 1,600 children with ADHD and explains why testing can help parents move from guessing to seeing what is actually going on inside the body.
LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW
Order Lab Tests Here - https://adhdthriveinstitute.wellproz.com/patient/home
ADHD Thrive Institute: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/
Dana Kay: https://dana-kay.com/
Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass: https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl
Thriving with ADHD Book: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/
ADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/
ADHD Parenting Course: https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd
KEY TAKEAWAYS
[00:00] ADHD symptoms may not only be connected to food, nutrients, or gut health. Toxic load from heavy metals, mold toxins, and everyday chemicals may also play a role.
[01:29] Toxic load is especially worth exploring when families have already cleaned up the diet, supported the gut, and added nutrients, but symptoms still are not fully shifting.
[01:56] The Total Tox Panel is a urine test that looks at three key areas: mold toxins, heavy metals, and environmental chemicals.
[02:25] Dana introduces the "trash can" analogy to explain how toxins, food choices, medication, sugar, bacteria, viruses, and other stressors can build up in the body.
[03:24] Many children with ADHD may not be clearing toxins efficiently, causing the "trash can" to overflow and contribute to inflammation, stress, brain fog, mood swings, inattention, and hyperactivity.
[04:20] Dana shares a real example of a child whose test showed high mold toxins, thallium, BPA, and glyphosate, showing how multiple toxic stressors can layer together.
[07:34] ADHD symptoms are often layered, and toxic load may be one of the missing pieces for families who feel like they have tried everything.
MEMORABLE MOMENTS
"What if your child's ADHD symptoms were not just about food or nutrients or even gut health, but about what their body is carrying?"
"For some kids, it can quietly build up and start to affect how they think, how they feel, and how they behave."
"Families are doing the right things. They clean up the diet, they support the gut, they add in nutrients, and they see some improvements. But it does not fully shift."
"We all have a metaphorical trash can in our body, and as we go through life, the trash can it gets filled up."
"Working with over 1600 kids with ADHD is that a lot of these kiddos, they're not emptying their trash cans properly."
"The brain is under stress, and that shows up as the things parents are dealing with every single day."
"I do not like to guess. I want to see what is actually going on inside the body."
DANA KAY RESOURCES
🔗 WEBSITES:
Order Lab Tests Here - https://adhdthriveinstitute.wellproz.com/patient/home 
https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/
https://dana-kay.com/
👋 SOCIALS:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ADHDThriveInstitute/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ADHDThriveInstitute
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhd-thrive-institute/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/adhdthriveinstitute/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adhd_thriveinstitute
📕 INTERNATIONAL BEST SELLING BOOK:
Thriving with ADHD – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/
💻 FREE MASTERCLASS:
Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass - https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl
⭐ COURSES & PROGRAMS:
ADHD Parenting Course – https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd
ADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/

What if your child's ADHD symptoms had less to do with their brain, and more to do with what is living in their gut? In this episode, Dana Kay continues the functional lab testing series by unpacking one of the most overlooked drivers of ADHD symptoms: gut health. She explains how hidden infections, yeast overgrowth, parasites, gut inflammation, poor digestion, immune activation, and imbalanced bacteria can all place stress on the body, even when a child has no obvious stomach complaints.
Dana also explains the difference between the Organic Acid Test and a comprehensive stool test, using the "smelling smoke" analogy to show why both tests can be helpful in different ways. The OAT may reveal downstream clues that something is off, while the stool test can help identify what may actually be sitting in the gut and contributing to that stress.
This episode gives parents a practical, hopeful way to look beneath behavior and focus struggles. Instead of asking, "What is wrong with my child's behavior?" Dana encourages parents to ask, "What is stressing my child's system?" For families who feel like they have tried everything, this conversation offers a clearer way to understand the gut-brain connection and why targeted testing can help reduce the guesswork.
LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW
Order Lab Tests Here - https://adhdthriveinstitute.wellproz.com/patient/home
Websites: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/ and https://dana-kay.com/
Thriving with ADHD Book: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/
ADHD Fast Class : https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl
ADHD Parenting Course: https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd
ADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/
KEY TAKEAWAYS
[00:00] A child's ADHD symptoms may be connected to hidden gut issues, even when there are no obvious stomach complaints.
[01:26] Gut health is about much more than digestion. It affects the immune system, nervous system, mood, behavior, focus, hormones, and detoxification.
[01:55] The gut is constantly communicating with the brain, so when something is off in the gut, the brain can feel the effects.
[02:24] The Organic Acid Test shows downstream metabolic clues, while a stool test helps identify what may actually be present in the gut.
[04:21] A comprehensive stool test can look at bacteria, yeast, parasites, viruses, H. pylori, inflammation, digestion, and other gut markers.
[04:50] Gut stress can show up as behavior, mood, sleep issues, focus problems, and sensory sensitivity before it ever shows up as digestive symptoms.
[07:07] Yeast overgrowth does not cause ADHD, but it can be one reason symptoms are not improving.
[09:55] Testing helps parents stop guessing and start making targeted decisions based on what is actually stressing their child's system.
MEMORABLE MOMENTS
"What if your child's ADHD symptoms had nothing to do with their brain? And everything to do with what is living in their gut?"
"Your child might not have a single stomach complaint."
"When something is off in the gut, the brain feels it big time."
"It's like walking into your house and smelling smoke."
"The gut shows up in behaviour and symptoms long before it actually shows up in the in the bathroom."
"Instead of asking, what is wrong with my child's behavior? We have to ask what is stressing their gut, their system."
"Not because the brain is the problem, but because the brain is responding to what's happening in the gut."
"They're not just ADHD symptoms. They're body issues that are showing up as ADHD symptoms."
DANA KAY RESOURCES
🔗 WEBSITES:
Order Lab Tests Here - https://adhdthriveinstitute.wellproz.com/patient/home 
https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/
https://dana-kay.com/
👋 SOCIALS:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ADHDThriveInstitute/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ADHDThriveInstitute
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhd-thrive-institute/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/adhdthriveinstitute/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adhd_thriveinstitute
📕 INTERNATIONAL BEST SELLING BOOK:
Thriving with ADHD – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/
💻 FREE MASTERCLASS:
Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass - https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl
⭐ COURSES & PROGRAMS:
ADHD Parenting Course – https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd
ADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/

What if your child's ADHD symptoms were not just a behavior problem, but a metabolic issue happening underneath the surface? In this episode, Dana Kay explains how the Organic Acid Test, often called the OAT test, can offer a deeper look at how a child's body is functioning, from nutrient processing and neurotransmitter pathways to gut overgrowth, detox stress, mitochondrial function, and more.
This episode is part of Dana's functional lab testing series, and it goes one layer deeper than food sensitivities, gut issues, or nutrient loss. Dana explains why some families can be doing "all the right things," like cleaning up the diet, removing triggers, and adding supplements, yet still feel stuck. The missing piece may not be what to add or remove. It may be whether the body is actually processing things the way it should.
Dana walks parents through the six key areas the Organic Acid Test can help illuminate, including microbial overgrowth, mitochondrial function, neurotransmitter pathways, toxic exposure, methylation and detoxification, and functional nutrient needs. Most importantly, she explains why this test can help bridge the gap between symptoms and function, giving families a clearer, more targeted path forward.
LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW
Order Lab Tests Here - https://adhdthriveinstitute.wellproz.com/patient/home
ADHD Thrive Institute Website: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/
Dana Kay Website: https://dana-kay.com/
Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass: https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl
Thriving with ADHD Book: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/
KEY TAKEAWAYS
[00:00] ADHD symptoms may not only be behavioral. They may be connected to deeper metabolic issues happening underneath the surface.
[01:29] Some families still feel stuck even after improving diet, removing triggers, and adding supplements because the body may not be processing things properly.
[01:59] The Organic Acid Test, or OAT test, is a urine test that looks at organic acids, which are byproducts of metabolism.
[02:27] Organic acids act like "metabolic breadcrumbs," offering clues about energy production, detoxification, neurotransmitters, and gut microbes.
[03:18] The OAT test can help show where systems are struggling and where things are breaking down in the body.
[03:43] Dana emphasizes that patterns matter more than one isolated out-of-range marker.
[04:37] Gut and microbial overgrowth can produce toxins that may affect the brain and contribute to mood swings, hyperactivity, sensory issues, aggression, and poor focus.
[05:03] Mitochondrial function matters because low cellular energy can show up as brain fog, low motivation, poor resilience, and overwhelm.
[05:33] The test can give insight into neurotransmitter pathways like dopamine and serotonin, which are connected to focus, motivation, mood, and calm.
[08:00] The biggest takeaway: traditional labs often look for disease, while the OAT test looks at dysfunction, helping parents better understand the whole-body picture.
MEMORABLE MOMENTS
"What if your child's ADHD symptoms were not just a behavior problem, but a metabolic issue happening underneath the surface?"
"There is a test that can show you all of that from one simple urine sample."
"Parents are doing everything right, they're cleaning up the diet, they're removing triggers, they're adding some supplements, and yet their child is still struggling."
"The missing question is not always what should we add or remove. It is, is the body actually processing things?"
"It's leaving behind these little sort of metabolic breadcrumbs."
"It's not just telling us what is happening, it's telling us where things are breaking down in the body."
"But the patterns are the more important thing."
"You cannot fix neurotransmitters if the body does not have the nutrients or the pathways to make them properly."
"This test looks at dysfunction."
"You can stop guessing, you can stop jumping from one thing to the next, and you can start making sort of these really targeted decisions."
DANA KAY RESOURCES
🔗 WEBSITES:
Order Lab Tests Here - https://adhdthriveinstitute.wellproz.com/patient/home 
https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/
https://dana-kay.com/
👋 SOCIALS:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ADHDThriveInstitute/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ADHDThriveInstitute
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhd-thrive-institute/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/adhdthriveinstitute/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adhd_thriveinstitute
📕 INTERNATIONAL BEST SELLING BOOK:
Thriving with ADHD – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/
💻 FREE MASTERCLASS:
Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass - https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl
⭐ COURSES & PROGRAMS:
ADHD Parenting Course – https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd
ADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/