Jeremy

There is this concept called adverse childhood events. This touches on what Peter has been discussing.  There is the prediction that if every American were to take this test honestly (and in a supportive environment so that they are not re-traumatized), then in their assessment of their own experience of trauma as a child they could accurately predict their own health outcomes.  It is quite stunning how well it predicts such outcomes as suicide rates and heart disease and diabetes and all of the things that we physicians are addressing.  These outcomes can be known very early in life, yet this test is probing into family dynamics which is sort of a taboo topics. We take kids out of the health care system at age six and don’t bring them back in until they get a meningococcal shot prior to going to college.  So, there are lost opportunities where important questions get asked in a doctor’s office. So, if the doctor doesn’t do the screening test, then this assessment is never done.  Yet, AI would have the capacity with home kits could help this with biomarkers could be used – this is a rising phenomenon. Epigenetic information could be accesses. People can access an enormous amount of information about their body without their physicians’ prior consent. However, health plans won’t pay for it.  I am curious with AI, biomarkers and substantial amounts of other health care information, people could find out a whole lot about their health risks and predict health outcomes, how do we get that to happen? Biomarker kits can now be purchased for about $200.  And AI can provide the information for interpreting these test results.

Scott

These tests could with varying efficacy.  My son is 8 years old. I don’t think I want him in homeostasis. I think I want him in effort. He is at his best when leaning forward and falling down sometimes.  He is in a state of homeostasis when sitting on the couch I like to think of my son as a moving body of water. I need to build a hose that helps to drive this body of water forward.  And if I don’t do that, he becomes a puddle.  Peter, as you were talking about homeostasis and allostasis, I kept going back to allostasis as a hose and homeostasis as a puddle.

Peter

What I would suggest, based in part on what Dr. Spock suggested, children don’t have to be pushed—they need to be left alone.  And given opportunities. Peter Gray has written a lot on childhood play.  He thinks that one of the problems with anxiety that is increasing with children is that they don’t have the opportunity to participate in free, unsupervised play. My grandson, who is 9 years old, has to go to basketball practice.  Then he participates in games, with coaches and referees. But the idea of going outside and choosing up sides and playing on their own, making their own rules.  This isn’t happening.