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Dr. Hayleigh Ast |
Dr. Hayleigh Ast is passionate about helping children and young adults reach their fullest potential by addressing the powerful connection between the brain, body, and gut. She provides integrative care for neurological, neurodevelopmental, and behavioral conditions such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, PANS/PANDAS and Down syndrome. By partnering closely with families and engaging children directly in their own care, she creates individualized, evidence-based treatment plans. She blends nutrition, lifestyle support, botanical medicine, and targeted pharmaceuticals when appropriate to help each child achieve optimal health, strong neurodevelopment, and the ability to truly thrive now and into the future.
Her dedication to pediatric care began early in her education. During college, she volunteered with reading specialists, the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, and at Bethesda Children’s Home, experiences that deepened her understanding of children’s emotional and developmental needs. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from Allegheny College, where her curiosity about the brain’s relationship to nutrition and behavior first took shape.
Dr. Hayleigh is a licensed naturopathic physician and graduate of the National University of Natural Medicine. She completed her residency at the University of California, Irvine’s Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute, where she worked alongside pediatricians and neurologists in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Dr. Ast also trained under Dr. Erica Peirson at the Peirson Center for Children, where she deepened her expertise in functional medicine for children with Down syndrome, autism, and other neurodevelopmental conditions.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Hayleigh is a post-doctoral fellow at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), where she studies ADHD treatment with micronutrients and the gut-brain-immune axis in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. She has contributed to multiple peer-reviewed research publications examining micronutrient therapy, gut microbiome changes, and integrative approaches to pediatric mental health. Her work continues to advance the understanding of how nutrition and the microbiome influence brain function and behavior.
Outside of the clinic, Dr. Hayleigh enjoys long runs, cold-water swims, and dancing in the kitchen while cooking savory dishes from around the world.
Her dedication to pediatric care began early in her education. During college, she volunteered with reading specialists, the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, and at Bethesda Children’s Home, experiences that deepened her understanding of children’s emotional and developmental needs. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from Allegheny College, where her curiosity about the brain’s relationship to nutrition and behavior first took shape.
Dr. Hayleigh is a licensed naturopathic physician and graduate of the National University of Natural Medicine. She completed her residency at the University of California, Irvine’s Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute, where she worked alongside pediatricians and neurologists in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Dr. Ast also trained under Dr. Erica Peirson at the Peirson Center for Children, where she deepened her expertise in functional medicine for children with Down syndrome, autism, and other neurodevelopmental conditions.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Hayleigh is a post-doctoral fellow at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), where she studies ADHD treatment with micronutrients and the gut-brain-immune axis in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. She has contributed to multiple peer-reviewed research publications examining micronutrient therapy, gut microbiome changes, and integrative approaches to pediatric mental health. Her work continues to advance the understanding of how nutrition and the microbiome influence brain function and behavior.
Outside of the clinic, Dr. Hayleigh enjoys long runs, cold-water swims, and dancing in the kitchen while cooking savory dishes from around the world.