The Importance of Blood Flow: How It Affects Your Child’s Brain Function

Blood flow plays a critical role in your child’s overall brain health and cognitive function. Surprisingly, the temperature of their fingertips and toes can provide valuable clues about how well their brain is functioning—particularly the frontal lobe.

The frontal lobe, located at the tip of the brain, is the command center for memory recall, word recall, attention, and other cognitive skills. If a child isn’t getting enough blood flow to their extremities (cold fingers and toes), it’s likely their frontal lobe isn’t receiving adequate blood flow either. This can result in difficulties with learning, focus, and memory.

Using a thermographic camera, you can see this phenomenon in action. Warm areas appear red on the scan, while colder areas turn purple, indicating poor circulation. If the tips of the fingers and toes are purple, the blood vessels supplying the frontal lobe may also be struggling, leading to cognitive challenges.

Common causes of reduced blood flow include:

• Anemia

• Lack of exercise

• Blood sugar dysregulation

To address these issues, parents should first check their child’s fingertips and toes. Are they consistently cold? Does the capillary bed (the skin under the nails) refill quickly after you press it? Healthy circulation will cause the white area to refill with color in just a second or two. If it takes much longer, it’s worth investigating further.

Solutions might involve lab tests to rule out anemia, exercise to promote circulation, or supplementation to improve overall blood flow. Addressing these underlying causes can have a profound effect on a child’s brain health and cognitive abilities.

So if your child is struggling with focus, memory, or attention, don’t overlook the power of proper blood flow. Sometimes, the solution to cognitive challenges is literally in their fingertips.