Why I Recommend Genetic Testing for Kids with Anxiety, Mood Swings, or ADHD
If you’re a parent navigating the challenges of raising a child with mood swings, anxiety, or ADHD, you've likely heard mixed messages on the value of genetic testing.
In this article, I’ll explain why nutrigenomic (genetic) testing can be a valuable tool for confidently supporting your kids.
Now, to clarify, I’m not talking about genetic tests that your doctor might use to screen for inherited diseases. I’m referring to direct-to-consumer nutrigenomic tests that look for genetic variants, called Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs).
Tests like these offer a snapshot of your child’s genetic tendencies when they are under stress and this information can guide you in making informed decisions about diet, lifestyle, supplement, and parenting tactics to support their unique needs as they grow.
Genetic Testing: Two Sides of the Debate
The conversation around nutrigenomic testing typically involves two viewpoints:
One Side: “Knowing your genetic makeup allows you to proactively choose foods and habits that work with your genetics, ultimately supporting inborn strengths and vulnerabilities for a healthier life.”
The Other Side: “Epigenetics research shows that gene function is heavily influenced by the environment, so knowing your genetic makeup alone is not necessarily helpful—it doesn’t tell you about what’s actually happening in the body.”
So, where does that leave a parent with a child who’s struggling with anxiety, ADHD, or mood swings?
After over a decade of working with kids and three years using genetic testing in my practice, I can say this: both sides are correct. But understanding your child’s genetic tendencies can bring clarity and direction to how you parent them.
Genetic testing isn’t a crystal ball, but it provides insight into areas where your child may need specific support, helping you make targeted choices that enhance their well-being. It also can help you help your child understand their body.
What the Resilience DNA Panel Can Reveal
We designed our Resilience DNA Panel to identify a child’s genetic “strengths” and “vulnerabilities” related to stress and mental wellness. It’s important to understand that this test does not diagnose or predict any particular disease. Instead, it explores genetic variations that may increase the likelihood of specific health outcomes in response to stress. This insight can be a powerful tool for proactive support.
Our Resilience DNA Panel covers 7 key areas that impact mental wellness:
1. Detoxification, Chemical Sensitivity, and Oxidative Stress
Children with a genetic tendency for chemical sensitivity may react more strongly to environmental toxins, pollution, or even certain foods. Knowing this allows you to reduce exposure to these potential triggers.
2. Methylation and Folate Metabolism
Methylation influences processes like neurotransmitter production and detoxification. Methylation genetics don't tell us how methylation is functioning, but it can tell us a child with methylation imbalance symptoms may benefit from further functional testing and targeted nutrients to support the process.
3. Mood and Stress Tolerance
One of the most actionable aspects of our panel, genetic testing can reveal how well your child’s body is wired to manage stress. For instance, children with significant variants affecting their COMT enzyme may have difficulty letting go of stress, which can lead to increased anxiety or irritability. They may not like surprises and may need more downtime after school. Kids who tend toward fast COMT activity are more likely to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment but they are also prone to burnout if they don't have support. We also explore genetic tendencies toward ADHD, OCD, rumination, and stress-related sleep disturbances so you can start to offer your child targeted support should these symptoms arise.
4. Gut Function and Food Sensitivities
We added genetic markers that indicate how a child’s body is likely to handle gluten, lactose, and glutamate. Genetics don't tell us how they are actually being tolerated, but knowing this tendency you can make dietary changes or consider further functional tests to explore sensitivities.
5. Key Nutrients
Certain genetic variants signal a higher need for essential nutrients like magnesium, iron, zinc, omega-3s, B vitamins, and CoQ10. This insight along with symptom questionnaires can guide you in checking blood levels or adjusting your child’s diet for optimal support.
6. Inflammation Control and Brain Resilience
Chronic inflammation is linked to irritability, attention issues, and mental health challenges. Knowing if your child is genetically prone to higher inflammation can help you focus on anti-inflammatory foods and lifestyle adjustments. Genetic testing can also indicate how resilient their brain is to inflammation and head trauma—this is particularly important for young athletes who may be prone to concussion.
7. Histamine Breakdown
Elevated histamine levels can lead to symptoms like digestive issues, skin problems, and mood swings. Genetic testing won't tell you your child's histamine load, but it can show you if your child has a tendency toward slower histamine breakdown, which may explain certain patterns.
How Genetic Testing Guides Parenting Decisions
While genetics don’t change throughout life, their expression is influenced by environmental and lifestyle factors. Genetics provide a foundation for understanding strengths and vulnerabilities while functional tests (like Organic Acid Tests or microbiome tests) along with symptom analysis can show us how these tendencies are playing out.
In our Functional Assessments, The Resilience DNA Panel serves as a guide - not a guarnatee.It helps us identify potential leverage points for personalized support rather than providing an exhaustive or predictive diagnosis. We can use these insights to enhance your child’s resilience and mental health in a way that aligns with their unique biology.
What to Expect from Genetic Testing
Genetic testing offers one piece of a larger puzzle. With over 20,000 genes and 600 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human genome, this test isn’t designed to analyze them all. Instead, it highlights specific areas that are relevant to your goals for supporting your child’s mental health and resilience.
By providing insights into genetic predispositions, it empowers you to make informed choices about diet, environment, and lifestyle that align with your child’s unique needs.
Key Takeaways
Knowing your child's genetics helps you understand which lifestyle and parenting changes and dietary choices could have the biggest impact for your child. I always suggest genetic tests be run alongside functional tests, but I find knowing your child's genetics helps you gain confidence in your parenting decisions by aligning them with your child’s biology.
With the Resilience DNA Panel, you’re working with your child’s natural tendencies, not against them. These insights allow us to create a supportive, individualized roadmap for helping your child navigate their world with resilience, stability, and health.
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Related Articles:
https://www.jesssherman.com/blog/genetic-testing-parenting-kids-mental-health
https://www.jesssherman.com/blog/decoding-teen-mood-swings-the-role-of-the-comt-enzyme
https://www.jesssherman.com/blog/does-my-child-even-have-anxiety
https://www.jesssherman.com/blog/is-your-child-wired-for-anxiety-inattention-irritability
https://www.jesssherman.com/blog/is-adhd-a-methylation-problem
Selected References:
Epigenetics, Nutrition, and the Brain: Improving Mental Health through Diet
by Rola A. Bekdash Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(7), 4036; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25074036
