Eczema: Much More than a Skin Condition
As an integrative pediatrician I have learned that eczema is a complex interplay between our genetics, immune system, skin integrity, and the microbiomes of the skin and the gut. Learning how to treat illness using the best of both conventional and integrative medicine has absolutely transformed the way I am able to help kids with eczema.
Reflux: Common, but Not Normal
In 2006, when I was a year out of residency, I prided myself on the fact that I could manage my pediatric patients’ symptoms—whatever they were—with medications. I did what I had been trained in medical school and wrote prescriptions for laxatives, antihistamines, antibiotics, antacids, and steroids (topical, inhaled, oral, or even sprayed into the […]
Healthy Easter Candy for Kids: How to Avoid Sugar Overload
As Easter approaches, many parents start to feel the same mix of excitement and stress. You don’t have to avoid the celebrations altogether. With a little planning and education, you can create a healthy Easter candy strategy for kids that allows your family to enjoy the holiday without the sugar crash that often follows. Kids […]
Grounding: Five Reasons to be Outside and Barefooted
Being barefooted and outside has many health benefits. My entire life, I have always gone barefooted as much as possible. It makes me feel good, and now that there is a growing body of research on grounding or earthing, I can justify my desired shoeless existence. And yes, I find it comical that we have […]
Get to the Root Cause of Common Childhood Illnesses
I am dealing with a bug issue in my kitchen right now (I am sure they are not only in my kitchen but saying they are only in my kitchen at least makes me feel better). Yesterday I noticed there was a crack along the bottom of the caulking where the beadboard and countertop meet, along with tiny […]
How to Treat Constipation and “Bowel Accidents” Without Medication
The video below addresses the case of a 7-year old little girl who was having constipation and “stooling” accidents every day. She came to see me with three years of encopresis despite being on ½ capful of MiraLAX® (Polyethylene glycol 3350) daily. She’d also had recurrent urinary tract infections and was on a prophylactic antibiotic to help prevent any […]
Treating Constipation in Children: The 4R Approach
What if your baby’s constipation reached the point that every time he felt the urge to poop you had to “help” him by pulling him onto your lap and bicycling his legs? What if that didn’t work and you had to relieve his bowels by hand? That was the case with this family. They couldn’t even leave […]
Dealing with Kids’ Ear Pain while Flying
I was on vacation recently and got a call from the father of one of my little patients. He was on vacation as well, and told me that his four-year-old daughter started to have some ear pain on the airplane when they were landing. Her pain ended up getting worse and worse, so they took […]
All About Ears – Blog Series Part 2 – “The Four Causes of Ear Infections”
Ear infections are the bane of modern parenthood. Yet, they are poorly understood and often over-treated. The United States spends $4 billion a year on ear infections. I do not think this needs to be the case. Once I began practicing integrative medicine and incorporating nutritional recommendations into my daily pediatric practice, I saw recurrent […]
Are Antibiotics the Only Treatment for Ear Infections?
I have seen time and again that ear infections do not always require antibiotics. The integrative approach is extremely effective, especially when breaking the cycle of recurrent ear infections. Many ear infections heal on their own Upwards of 65% of ear infections will heal on their own, without the aid of an antibiotic. It is safe to watch and wait […]
