Have you ever left a standard doctor appointment feeling bewildered? … frustrated? … confused?
I know I’m not the only mama who’s left a pediatric appointment in tears, feeling like I’m the only one who understands my baby.
In 2013, I realized enough was enough.
If I wanted a good pediatrician for my kids, I’d have to become one.
But the conventional medicine route didn’t align with my beliefs. I knew kids were being overprescribed and underserved.
If I wanted to provide optimal pediatric care, becoming a naturopathic doctor was the only clear answer.
What I Do as a Naturopathic Pediatrician
My mission as a pediatric naturopathic doctor is to give you mamas the tools you need to provide the best outcomes possible for your child.
Whether it’s a school required physical, well-child check, or a chronic issue, we’ve got you covered.
I’m medically trained and holistically focused, which means you get the best of both worlds.
Primary Care With a Naturopathic Pediatrician
As a trained physician, it’s my responsibility to perform a thorough evaluation and make a proper diagnosis. I believe in body autonomy, so no exams are forced on your child.
A doctor visit should not be traumatic or scary. We smile, laugh, and play throughout the visit to help kids have a positive experience. When they learn to associate health with positivity, they have better outcomes.
We accept unvaccinated children
We support parent’s choice to vaccinate or not. Many pediatric practices are turning away families with alternative immunization schedules. That choice is driven by their ties to insurance and pharmaceutical companies.
Our cash-pay structure keeps us free of those ties. What does that mean for you?
Your child’s visits are pressure-free and fully focused on their wellness status rather than their vaccination status.
Not just preventative medicine
Naturopathic care is founded on basic principles of healthy living. Nutrition, sleep, exercise, and mindfulness are the cornerstones of preventative medicine.
When it comes to preventing disease, it’s not enough to just check growth charts and administer vaccines.
You need a doctor who can give you real guidance, unbiased advice, and a listening ear.
When kids get sick
Even the healthiest kids get sick from time-to-time. Our goal is to help them get better faster, and make a complete recovery.
We start with the least invasive approach, recommending non-toxic remedies to help your child’s body heal itself. Most of the time, these methods work phenomenally, and their immune system is stronger as a result.
We have safety parameters in place for the occasional illness that doesn’t respond well to natural remedies, and we guide you through the process of involving conventional care.
Naturopathic Pediatrician Strategy: Therapeutic Order
The process of starting with the least invasive, and working our way to more conventional techniques is called the therapeutic order. It’s an art form that naturopaths have been practicing for centuries.
Where allopathic doctors rely heavily on drugs and surgery, I have several other options to explore before I get to that level.
From dysfunction to optimal function
For parents like you and me, it’s not enough to just prevent disease. We want the absolute best for our kids.
If your kiddos are already healthy and well, let’s take it to the next level! We use cutting-edge testing, tools, and remedies to help keep your kids on the top-tier.
Catching early warning signs
There’s a reason we have longer visits, and a reason I play and interact with your kids. By getting to know them personally, I can be a better doctor. I can recognize early signs of cognitive delay, or signs of chronic illness that most doctors miss.
Functional lab testing is a fabulous tool. We can detect food intolerance, nutritional deficiencies, and poor microbiome health.
Functional testing with a naturopathic pediatrician
No parent wants to have their kids’ blood drawn. It’s a dreadful process. We avoid it whenever possible and keep testing to a minimum.
If testing is required, we prioritize the easier ones, using urine or a simple finger prick. Stool testing and saliva are used occasionally, as well.
We use labs that are familiar with pediatric markers. Some tests are offered for infants, but many are for ages 2+.
Here are some FAQs about working with a naturopathic pediatrician:
What does an appointment look like?
A typical appointment runs 40 minutes to an hour. We dive deep into your child’s health history – trying to understand what you’ve been through, what you’ve tried, what’s worked, and what hasn’t. It’s important to review these details to find the root cause.
We talk about the state of your little one’s sleep, energy, stress, and emotional well-being. Past trauma has strong ties within our body as we store negative energy that causes dysfunction.
What conditions do you treat?
I don’t need to tell you that kids get sick — a lot. I treat a wide range of conditions from anxiety to stomach aches.
Some common one’s I treat are:
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Stomach pain
- Headaches
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Recurring infections
- Eczema
- Acne
Do you do lab testing?
When necessary. At The Organic Cure, our policy is to only perform testing if the results will directly impact the course of treatment.
We use conventional labs, like Labcorp, to run standard tests, and sometimes testing is performed using an at-home kit that’s sent to a lab for analysis. Results are reviewed at a follow-up appointment.
Does insurance cover it?
No — although we do work with insurance to get lab tests covered most of the time — all of our services are cash pay. Here’s why:
When you come to The Organic Cure, we don’t want anything standing between your child and their health. Other providers out there have to shape their treatment around insurance companies. It’s supposed to be there to help you, but we find that our patients won’t get the care they need if we’re forced to work within the bounds of insurance. So, we’ve eliminated the middleman.
How long does treatment take?
Children are resilient and bounce back quickly when given proper care. You should expect to dedicate at least 6 months to the healing process. It’s always a good idea to follow up routinely after recovery — a few times a year — to stay on course.
What’s your education as a naturopathic doctor?
A true naturopathic doctorate program at an accredited university is a full – grueling – four years. It parallels conventional medical school for much of the program.
Students must complete an undergraduate in pre-med – or a similar course set – prior to enrolling. We must then pass two separate rounds of national board exams, testing in medical science and clinical education.
Then graduates must obtain licensure, depending on the state, to be a practicing physician.
The graduate is now a Naturopathic Doctor or ND. We may then go on to complete a residency, join an existing clinic, or open a clinic of our own. Many naturopathic doctors also become teachers, authors, researchers, and more.
If you have more questions about working with an ND, my virtual door is always open!
Naturopathic Pediatrician | Tolle Totum: Treat the Whole Person
It’s an honor to be a part of a profession that helps people transform into happier, healthier, more fulfilled versions of themselves. Treating children is rewarding as you get to see their potential unfold when obstacles are removed from their path.
It’s a fulfilling career, in which many of the elders in the profession say they still go to sleep happy every night because they love doing what they do. I’m blessed to feel the same.
Looking for Naturopathic Pediatrician Primary Care?
Are you still deciding if naturopathic medicine is right for your family?
Schedule a free virtual consultation. We’ll chat about your kiddo’s health and what I can do to help. I’m in your corner.
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[…] recovery. When you’re working with a naturopathic pediatrician, you can start with the least invasive approach. Non-toxic remedies can help your child’s body heal itself. Most of the time, these methods work […]