One of our favourite areas of naturopathic medicine we have the pleasure of working with is the health care of children. To be able to support the healthy development of a rapidly growing body and know that the life of that child will be different because of taking this holistic approach from a young age is very satisfying. Children also tend to be very responsive to naturopathic treatments, likely because their young bodies haven’t had to endure the years of exposure to toxins, allergens and suppressive medications that most adults have. Lifestyle factors in health care are also very obvious to the parents of children. While we are often confused about how lifestyle affects our own lives, we know that a child who has missed a nap, skipped breakfast or eaten too much candy can be cranky, nauseous or have behaviour issues. As we investigate the whole picture in a child’s health, we are also educating that child from a young age to notice these correlations in how lifestyle affects health and how supporting their body’s natural rhythm can be more effective than suppressing symptoms. We hope that as these children learn that feeling great is connected with health-promoting decisions, they grow up with life-long confidence in their body’s capacity for wellness.
Some of the conditions treated in pediatrics:
- Well-baby checks
- Diaper rash
- Ear infections
- Asthma
- Digestive issues
- Skin rashes and eczema
- Frequent colds/infections
- Headaches
- Bedwetting
- Anxiety
- Allergies
- Behaviour issues
Naturopathic Treatment
Your Naturopathic Doctor will work with you to try to identify the cause of imbalances and obstacles to optimal health in your child. Physical assessment as well as taking a thorough history of your child’s health from pregnancy to present day helps to identify underlying issues (such as nutritional or digestive imbalance) that may be contributing to your child’s symptoms. Working together, an individualized treatment plan will be created that is effective and manageable.
Examples of Naturopathic Treatments:
- Lifestyle counseling
- Identifying food intolerances
- Using homeopathic remedies to resolve chronic inflammation in the lungs
- Herbal medicines for immune support
- Balancing intestinal bacteria
- Identifying nutritional deficiencies and providing practical support in how to resolve them
