Children’s Wellness

Integrating naturopathic medicine into a child’s life can teach them how to think about their health. As naturopathic doctors, we always ask, “Why?” For example, “Why are they constantly fatigued?” or “Why do they keep getting headaches in this particular way?” Over time, our patients learn to do this for themselves and will seek our guidance to help them find the answer. When children are taught to see their symptoms as a sign that something deeper needs to be explored, they will learn how to listen to their bodies and grow into adults who are empowered to look a little further. Being a health detective in this way is an asset to long term wellness.

Sometimes the answer to “Why?” is simple- such as being dehydrated or being overworked and under-rested on a given day. Naturopathic pediatric visits are a prime opportunity for age-appropriate education about foundational health practices. Deep breathing, physical movement, time outdoors and contact with the earth, adequate rest, nutrient-rich diets and proper hydration all impact mental, emotional and physical symptoms profoundly.

Other times, the answer to “Why?” is more complex. Perhaps there’s a weakened organ system due to an unidentified infection, food intolerance, environmental exposure or social challenge that is repeatedly stressing the body and leading to symptoms. To get clear about this, we explore mom’s pregnancy and birthing experience, early traumas or illnesses the child has endured and how the responded, behavior and elements of their personality; we look at current symptoms under a microscope. Some common ailments we see and support in children include:

  • Headaches, muscle or joint pain
  • Dermatologic conditions including eczema, acne and rashes
  • Anxiety, depression, attention or focus difficulties, behavioral concerns, PTSD
  • Upper respiratory infections, earaches, sore throats, allergies, asthma
  • Digestive symptoms including constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, IBD
  • Urinary tract infections, diabetes, autoimmune disease and endocrine dysfunction

We craft individualized Care Plans at the end of each visit with therapies including homeopathic remedies, herbal medicine teas and tinctures, specialized nutrient or supplemental therapy and dietary guidelines. We partner with and do not replace pediatricians- often reviewing recent lab work from a naturopathic perspective and making suggestions for additional work-up when we feel it’s indicated. We frequently see children who are on a pharmaceutical medication and will tailor their Care Plans to avoid interactions and support side effect reduction when applicable. We work with a pediatric population from infancy through adolescence. There are a variety of modalities that work synergistically with our naturopathic tools such as neurofeedback, EMDR and holistic dentistry and we will make referrals when appropriate.

Building healthy habits and identifying root-causes of ailments in childhood sets the stage for lifelong chronic disease prevention. We are passionate about modeling a health detective mind-set for the families in our practice and would be honored to be part of your child’s wellness team.