Seeing the whole picture
This post originally appeared in Dr. Rachel A. Larimore’s weekly Samara newsletter on May 24, 2022. If you’re interested in receiving these emails, scroll to the bottom of this page to subscribe.
For the last several months I’ve been struggling with symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. I’m trying many different avenues to solve the problem. Most recently, I visited the hand surgeon to discuss surgical and non-surgical treatments.
As I was explaining my symptoms to the Physician’s Assistant (PA), I mentioned a spot on my palm that also bothers me. This was a spot between my wrist (the point of concern for carpal tunnel) and where I feel the tingling in my fingers. Again, between the two issues.
The PA said, “You’ll have to make another appointment. I can’t talk about that right now.” What?! That didn’t make any sense to me. In fact, it’s darn right ridiculous.
I’m not telling you all of this for pity. I share this because as I drove home from the appointment, it occurred to me…
This same kind of ridiculousness happens in early childhood education! Often we get so focused on one problem a child may be facing that we forget to look at the whole child.
For example, a child’s inability to sit still during group meeting may not be an attention issue at all. It could be their core strength is weak and so they’re simply repositioning their bodies.
Another child might be arguing with peers because they’re not sleeping well due to a new sibling at home—not because they don’t know how to “get along” with others.
The lesson from the hand surgeon’s office is that we can’t focus too narrowly on any given problem, or we may miss the real issue. The whole child matters. After all, I would contend my whole hand, arm, and body matters.
It’s important to ask ourselves…
How are we supporting the whole child each day? When challenging behaviors arise are we taking a wide enough view to address the root cause?
By the way, somewhat ironically, they prescribed me a vitamin. That seems whole-body to me! (I also later saw the surgeon who agreed it was silly to not discuss all my concerns in one appointment. Thankfully he also gave me a steroid shot which, along with a wrist brace and vitamins, seem to have helped with the symptoms!)
Keep changing lives,
Rachel
Rachel A. Larimore, Ph.D., Chief Visionary of Samara Learning
About Rachel
Dr. Rachel A. Larimore is an educator, speaker, consultant, author, and former nature-based preschool director. As the founder and Chief Visionary of Samara Early Learning her work focuses on helping early childhood educators start nature-based schools or add nature-based approaches into their existing program. Learn more about Rachel here.
