Holistic Pediatric Doctors In Boulder Treat Underlying Causes Of Disease

By Karina Frost


Parents today actively seek a better approach to managing the illnesses of childhood, and many have turned to medical practices that look beyond the external symptoms of disease. This approach is no longer viewed as being out of the mainstream, and has become an important part of childhood illness prevention and treatment. The same principles benefiting adults are being used to help children by holistic pediatric doctors in Boulder, Colorado.

Described by some as a counterculture remnant, holistic medicine is actually a legitimate, officially recognized medical approach. Rather than avoiding modern advances based on unproven pop-science fads, it takes standard medical diagnostics and prescriptions one step further. It sees individuals as unified organisms that benefit not only from traditional health solutions, but also a lifestyle emphasizing good nutrition, physical activity, and a positive mental state.

For an adult with high cholesterol, that can include making changes in diet and levels of daily physical activity, as well as taking prescribed medications. For a child, it means that the physician may still recommend needed medications, but will also work with parents to discover and alter the underlying physical conditions that make beneficial drugs necessary for recovery.

Although people continue to mature physically into their twenties, children are usually defined as under 17 years of age. Over-the-counter medicines that work effectively for adults are not considered safe for young people, and most are never actually tested on children. The additional expenses and more complex logistics of testing products on minors adds to production costs, and manufacturers choose warning labels instead.

Instead of a heavy or complete reliance on pharmaceuticals, the holistic approach recognizes the innate ability most bodies have to heal themselves. Not providing a palliative for symptoms that are causing immediate discomfort in a child may seem anti-intuitive or even neglectful, but may unintentionally delay the actual healing process. In many cases, changes in lifestyle help eliminate them over the long term.

Integrative medicine also accepts and recognizes how environmental hazards affect children, and helps provide parents with better tools and information to help them eliminate many potential toxic sources at home. In addition to presenting an accurate diagnosis, physicians may advise making changes in buying habits, eliminating beds or furniture treated with chemicals during manufacture, or purchasing toys made of natural materials.

A holistic pediatrician also stresses the importance of the relationship between parent and doctor, especially when communicating the individual circumstances that are directly linked to health issues. They emphasize developmental evaluations, vaccine education, periodic well-child checkups, and even obesity prevention and treatment. Allergies, food intolerance, nutritional training, and problems related to cognition and autism are also included.

If an acute illness does occur, use of the latest surgical innovations or medications may be necessary for a good outcome. Less urgent issues may respond more fully to ongoing health education for those caring for minors, including ways to take greater personal responsibility for good health maintenance. The benefits can include fewer episodes of disease each year, and fewer doctor bills for preventable maladies.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment