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Soaring Child: Thriving with ADHD

Soaring Child: Thriving with ADHD

By: Dana Kay
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Here is a place where you will learn how to address your child's ADHD symptoms naturally so you can stop walking on eggshells & bring back peace & calm to your home. Hosted Dana Kay, board certified health & nutrition practitioner, author of the best selling book Thriving with ADHD, leading ADHD expert but most importantly a mom with a child with ADHD who gets it. As a mother of a child with ADHD, she knows firsthand the struggles that come with parenting a neurodiverse child & the freedom that is possible once parents learn to reduce ADHD symptoms. Dana has been featured in Forbes, on Fox & CBS, & various other online media. She has also been a guest at multiple parenting & ADHD summits & podcasts. Her goal with the Soaring child is to give hope & answers to parents of children with ADHD who are looking for alternative (natural) and effective means of helping them learn to thrive at home, at school, and in life. Because children with ADHD deserve to soar, just like every other child. Parenting & Families Relationships
Episodes
  • 214: Is Your Child's ADHD Actually a Gut Issue?

    214: Is Your Child's ADHD Actually a Gut Issue?
    Jun 25 2026
    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/homeWebsites: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/ and https://dana-kay.com/Thriving with ADHD Book: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/ADHD Fast Class : https://bit.ly/3GAbFQlADHD Parenting Course: https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhdADHD 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/
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    12 mins
  • 213: Stop Guessing: The Test That Finds Hidden ADHD Triggers

    213: Stop Guessing: The Test That Finds Hidden ADHD Triggers
    Jun 18 2026
    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/homeADHD Thrive Institute Website: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/Dana Kay Website: https://dana-kay.com/Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass: https://bit.ly/3GAbFQlThriving 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/
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    11 mins
  • 212: Is a Zinc & B6 Deficiency Making ADHD Symptoms Worse?

    212: Is a Zinc & B6 Deficiency Making ADHD Symptoms Worse?
    Jun 11 2026
    Your child may be losing the very nutrients their brain needs to function at its best, and when that happens, it can show up as exacerbated ADHD symptoms. In this episode of the Soaring Child podcast, Dana Kay uncovers one of the most overlooked underlying stressors of persistent ADHD symptoms, a condition where key nutrients like zinc and vitamin B6 are literally being depleted before the body can use them. Continuing the functional lab testing series, Dana breaks down the Kryptopyrrole (Pyroluria) test in a way that finally makes sense. She explains how this hidden imbalance can impact mood, emotional regulation, stress tolerance, focus, and even behavior, and why so many families never hear about it through traditional channels. You'll learn how this condition creates a cycle of nutrient loss and symptom flare-ups, the common signs to look for, and why even the best diet or supplement routine may not work if this piece is missing. LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW Lab Testing Access: https://adhdthriveinstitute.wellproz.com/patient/homeDana Kay Website: https://dana-kay.com/Free ADHD Masterclass: https://bit.ly/3GAbFQlADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/Dana Kay Book – Thriving with ADHD: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/ KEY TAKEAWAYS [00:00] Why kids can still struggle even with the "right" diet and supplements [01:10] Introducing the Cryptopyrrole (Pyroluria) test [02:05] How the body can lose nutrients faster than it uses them [03:20] What HPL is and how it binds to zinc and B6 [05:10] Why zinc and B6 are critical for ADHD symptoms [07:00] The two main drivers: genetics and oxidative stress [09:10] The cycle of stress, inflammation, and nutrient depletion [11:20] Why this test is rarely run but highly relevant for ADHD [13:00] The surprising prevalence of elevated pyroles in ADHD kids [15:10] Common signs parents may notice at home [18:00] Why testing is essential before supplementing [20:15] How treatment is personalized and not one-size-fits-all [22:10] Timeline for seeing improvements after addressing pyroles [24:00] Why this is one piece of a bigger root-cause puzzle [26:30] How functional testing builds a complete picture over time MEMORABLE MOMENTS "What if your child is taking the right supplements… and still struggling because their body is literally dumping the nutrients they need?" "What if their body is not holding on to those nutrients in the first place?" "This compound comes along and hijacks them… and pulls them out of circulation." "Now those nutrients… they're gone." "Zinc and B6 are so critical for mood, emotional regulation, and focus." "You have more nutrient loss, more symptoms, and more stress on the body." "In the general population it's about 3%, but in my ADHD clients it's closer to 40%." "This is not rare in the ADHD world… it's just rarely tested." "When I heard this list, it was like a light bulb went off." "I do not want you guessing. I want data." "Sometimes addressing pyroles alone can create massive shifts." "It's not the only piece… but it can be a really important one." DANA KAY RESOURCES 🔗 WEBSITES: 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/ADHDThriveInstituteLinkedIn: 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://hubs.la/Q042HrjF0 ⭐ COURSES & PROGRAMS: ADHD Parenting Course – https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhdADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/
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    12 mins
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