Functional Medicine for Children
The Functional medical approach to treating patients with conditions such as Down syndrome, ASD (autism spectrum disorders), ADD (attention deficit disorder), and other neurodevelopmental conditions addresses the root cause of the cognitive and physical symptoms of these conditions. The root cause can be imbalances in areas such as oxidative stress, methylation, mitochondrial function, endocrine function, neurotransmitters, digestion, heavy metal toxicity and nutrient deficiencies, to name a few. It also addresses genetic and epigenetic factors that can contribute to these imbalances.
We want it made very clear that when helping children with Down syndrome our goal is not to fix, cure or change them. Many of their health issues, nutrient deficiencies, immune dysfunction and even neurological issues can have nothing to do with having an extra chromosome. Often these issues are due to hypothyroidism that is under-treated or gastrointestinal dysfunction that isn't even recognized. Please read Dr. Peirson's blog post Customized Treatment for Children with Down Syndrome and Medical Neglect of Children with Special Needs to find out more.
We do not replace your child's primary care physician. We work as adjunct providers to help support and optimize your child's health in ways that your child's primary care physician hasn't been trained. We do not provide "on call" emergency care. Treatment methods employed are often multifold and include, but are not limited to, diet, lifestyle, supplements and detoxification. No treatment plan is ever the same. Patients are carefully assessed with a thorough health history, physical exam and testing of saliva, urine, blood and feces. Determination of which tests to run depends on the presentation of each individual patient. For a complete list of testing options used in our clinic please refer to the "Testing" section below.
We want it made very clear that when helping children with Down syndrome our goal is not to fix, cure or change them. Many of their health issues, nutrient deficiencies, immune dysfunction and even neurological issues can have nothing to do with having an extra chromosome. Often these issues are due to hypothyroidism that is under-treated or gastrointestinal dysfunction that isn't even recognized. Please read Dr. Peirson's blog post Customized Treatment for Children with Down Syndrome and Medical Neglect of Children with Special Needs to find out more.
We do not replace your child's primary care physician. We work as adjunct providers to help support and optimize your child's health in ways that your child's primary care physician hasn't been trained. We do not provide "on call" emergency care. Treatment methods employed are often multifold and include, but are not limited to, diet, lifestyle, supplements and detoxification. No treatment plan is ever the same. Patients are carefully assessed with a thorough health history, physical exam and testing of saliva, urine, blood and feces. Determination of which tests to run depends on the presentation of each individual patient. For a complete list of testing options used in our clinic please refer to the "Testing" section below.
Potential benefits of biomedical treatment include:
- Improved function of the immune system
- Improved digestion
- Better sleep
- Reduced eczema, hives, and dry skin
- Increased speech, eye contact and social awareness
- Decrease in negative behaviors (stimming, difficult to transition, aggression, inappropriate laughing)
- Increased overall growth and development
- Improved cognition
Evaluation
An evaluation of your child's healthcare needs starts with a thorough history that includes questions going all the way back to the health of the patient's mother at the time of conception. Other areas often discussed include digestion, growth, sleep, behavior, skin, gross motor skills, muscle tone, body temperature, circulation, immune system, diet and many others.
Testing
The following is a list of tests often used.
Routine blood work
Routine blood work
- TSH
- free T4
- free T3
- revere T3
- TPO/TgAb/TSI
- CBC w/ differential and platelets
- Iron panel (serum iron, % saturation, TIBC, ferritin)
- Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
- Zinc and copper
- Serum B12
- Magnesium, RBC
- Vitamin D
- Histamine
- Homocysteine
- Tissue Transglutaminase
- Anti-streptolysin O antibodies
- Anti-DNase antibodies
- IGF-1
- IGFBP-3
Organic Acid Testing - Click this link for a list of resources about the many benefits of this testing.
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- Hydrogen and methane breath test to detect presence of bacterial overgrowth of the small intestines
- The Toxic Element Clearance Profile is a toxic exposure test which measures urinary excretion of a diverse range of potentially harmful elements, such as mercury, aluminum, sulfur, lead and others.
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This profile is designed for the functional medicine practitioner as a way to help screen for the most common processes that are often at the root cause of disease. It looks at Zonulin, DAO, Histamine, LPS IgG, IgA and IgM, 8-OHdG, % Reduced Glutathione, Total Glutathione, F2 Isoprostane, Oxidized LDL, HgA1c, hsCRP, & Vitamin D.
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Supplements
Multivitamin
Benfotiamine
Riboflavin
Methylcobalamin (B12)
Quercetin
Lithium Orotate
Liposomal Glutathione
Phosphatidylcholine
L-Carnitine
CoQ10
Benfotiamine
Riboflavin
Methylcobalamin (B12)
Quercetin
Lithium Orotate
Liposomal Glutathione
Phosphatidylcholine
L-Carnitine
CoQ10