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One could say that Dr. Peirson has been working with children with special needs since she was a child herself. As a young girl she played often with her cousin, Courtney, who is developmentally delayed. She preferred playing with Courtney over her other cousins and could never understand why no one else wanted to play with her. Courtney was always very sweet, gentle and fun to be with.
One day when they were both about 10 years old Courtney was outside her house roller skating. A boy threw crab apples at her because she was different than the other kids. She tripped over one of the apples and broke her leg. As a 10 year old little girl Dr. Peirson was confused, saddened and angered by this act. She felt powerless, asking the adults around her if the boy was going to jail. She never heard anything more about the boy who threw the apples, but this event was life changing for Dr. Peirson. She always knew that she would someday work to help children with special needs. While attaining her undergraduate degree and all through medical school Dr. Peirson worked at Shriners Hospital for Children (14 years). This work further cemented her desire to work with children with special needs.
In 2007 Dr. Peirson gave birth to her son, Miles. Four days after his birth and three days after being admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit he was diagnosed with Mosaic Down syndrome. Ever since that day Dr. Peirson has been on a quest to learn everything there is to know about Down syndrome. Her frustration with the little amount of information she received from the specialists they saw fueled her desire to learn more. Dr. Peirson wants to share what she has learned and give others the tools they need to help their child be the best they can be.
Dr. Peirson graduated from the National University of Naturopathic Medicine in 2005. The rigorous curriculum at NUNM is the same as that of any conventional medical school with an increased emphasis on nutrition, botanical medicine, supplements, and other natural therapies as means of treating patients. A comparison of the NUNM curriculum with that of Johns Hopkins and Yale University can be seen here. She is a licensed primary care physician under Oregon State Law.
Before completing her undergraduate degree in Biology from Portland State University Dr. Peirson worked as an EMT in an Emergency Room in Clearwater, FL. She has a great understanding of and appreciation for conventional medicine.
Until recently Dr. Peirson taught Cell Biology and Anatomy & Physiology at Portland Community College. She gained great satisfaction from teaching students about the amazing processes of their body.
One day when they were both about 10 years old Courtney was outside her house roller skating. A boy threw crab apples at her because she was different than the other kids. She tripped over one of the apples and broke her leg. As a 10 year old little girl Dr. Peirson was confused, saddened and angered by this act. She felt powerless, asking the adults around her if the boy was going to jail. She never heard anything more about the boy who threw the apples, but this event was life changing for Dr. Peirson. She always knew that she would someday work to help children with special needs. While attaining her undergraduate degree and all through medical school Dr. Peirson worked at Shriners Hospital for Children (14 years). This work further cemented her desire to work with children with special needs.
In 2007 Dr. Peirson gave birth to her son, Miles. Four days after his birth and three days after being admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit he was diagnosed with Mosaic Down syndrome. Ever since that day Dr. Peirson has been on a quest to learn everything there is to know about Down syndrome. Her frustration with the little amount of information she received from the specialists they saw fueled her desire to learn more. Dr. Peirson wants to share what she has learned and give others the tools they need to help their child be the best they can be.
Dr. Peirson graduated from the National University of Naturopathic Medicine in 2005. The rigorous curriculum at NUNM is the same as that of any conventional medical school with an increased emphasis on nutrition, botanical medicine, supplements, and other natural therapies as means of treating patients. A comparison of the NUNM curriculum with that of Johns Hopkins and Yale University can be seen here. She is a licensed primary care physician under Oregon State Law.
Before completing her undergraduate degree in Biology from Portland State University Dr. Peirson worked as an EMT in an Emergency Room in Clearwater, FL. She has a great understanding of and appreciation for conventional medicine.
Until recently Dr. Peirson taught Cell Biology and Anatomy & Physiology at Portland Community College. She gained great satisfaction from teaching students about the amazing processes of their body.