What is functional and integrative medicine?

Functional and integrative medicine is a shift in the traditional medicine model that focuses on patient centered care & addresses the whole person, not just a set of symptoms. Functional & integrative medicine dives deep into a child’s medical history, genetics, environmental, & lifestyle factors that can influence their health.

The clinical approach of functional & integrative medicine is to search for the root cause of the disease or condition. When working with children, I always ask “why did this symptom start?” and “why is it progressing/not getting better?”. The cause of any condition can vary from child to child, some examples being nutrient imbalances, poor gut health, excess environmental toxins, poor sleep, unstable home or school environment, poor stress response, inadequate nutrition, and lack of appropriate movement/exercise.

Two kiddos may be diagnosed with the same condition, but the causes may be completely different. Therefore, each of their protocols would be different as well. Searching for a child’s individual root cause, and creating a holistic care plan, makes the functional & integrative medicine approach so effective to improve symptoms for ADHD, anxiety, autism, focus, OCD/ODD, sleep disturbances, & other mood or behavior challenges.

 Do you want to learn more to see if a functional and integrative medicine approach can help reduce your child’s symptoms. Lets chat!