How does functional medicine for children work?
What can be more nerve-racking than suddenly becoming your child’s healthcare advocate with the responsibility of navigating the complicated maze of information, services, and personnel who might help you find a trusted opinion about your son or daughter?
At a recent worldwide autism conference, I was struck by the large number of parents who seem baffled, and seek answers for their developmentally challenged children.
What has become obvious to me is that every child is so special that individual treatments and results count – because the science is so young. Anecdotal protocols and those with less-than-perfect research data are looked at with great skepticism by the medical establishment. Yet, what is a concerned parent to do?
Should the family and providers wait for science to produce a cure? Wait until some treatment gets proven or dis-proven by a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study of sufficient proportion?
That’s not an acceptable answer! My medical practice is all about doing the leg work, performing a thorough medical evaluation of your child, offering as much honest information as is available, and making you aware of the most state-of-the-art treatments.
Most importantly, rather than take a “wait and see” posture, parents should be on “high alert” when their child fails to achieve important milestones, seems to be in a fog, can’t focus, is in constant motion, or exhibits sensory issues. Treatment needs to be started at the earliest possible time.
By utilizing a holistic approach to the patient, the TOTAL picture becomes more clear – by getting the child healthier, traditional therapies have more response and positive outcomes are achieved.
What happens at your first visit depends on what has preceded it. In all cases however, there will be a thorough history and physical examination that may take up to 2 hours.
Whether this is your child’s first evaluation, or another in a series of doctor visits, it will be different from any other that the family has experienced. We will get a better understanding by close observation and a rigorous examination, leading to a more accurate assessment about the required testing and safe, effective interventions.
What about the follow-up care?
Each child is unique, so treatment and follow-up will depend on the findings. Suffice it to say, your family will be treated with respect and we will listen to your concerns. We do our best to provide all the services necessary to get you on a more successful road, so that you can help your child discover their highest potential. We can offer medical and other treatments that improve the situation in the home or at school.
