When Traditional Approaches Aren’t Enough
Challenges Children Face:
Children can experience a range of health challenges that can be both alarming and difficult to manage, especially when they seem to appear suddenly. Common issues include:
-
Sudden Onset of Anxiety: Your child may start exhibiting intense anxiety seemingly out of nowhere, leading to fears and worries that disrupt their daily life.
-
Mood Swings: Unpredictable mood swings, from irritability to sadness, can leave both children and parents feeling overwhelmed and unsure of how to cope.
-
Obsessive-Compulsive Behaviors: Repetitive actions or intrusive thoughts can take hold, often linked to underlying neurological or autoimmune conditions.
-
Physical Symptoms: Persistent joint pain, fatigue, or unexplained physical discomfort can significantly impact a child’s ability to enjoy everyday activities.
These symptoms are often associated with complex conditions like PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) and PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections). These conditions can be particularly challenging because they affect both the body and the mind, leading to a broad range of symptoms that are difficult to manage.
Why Traditional Approaches May Fall Short:
Traditional medical approaches typically focus on treating individual symptoms rather than the root causes of these conditions. For example:
-
Symptom Management: Conventional treatments might address symptoms with medications, but these often don’t tackle the underlying autoimmune or neurological triggers.
-
Fragmented Care: Because symptoms can vary widely— from psychological to physical—traditional care might involve multiple specialists, leading to fragmented treatment plans that don’t provide a holistic solution.
-
Many healthcare providers may not fully recognize the complex nature of your child’s symptoms or understand how to address the underlying factors effectively. This can result in treatment strategies focusing only on managing visible symptoms while the more profound issues driving those symptoms remain unresolved.
​
Our Holistic Approach:
​
At Friend Functional Wellness, we use a different approach. I understand that to support your child’s health truly, we need to look at the whole picture—considering both the physical and emotional aspects of their well-being. My approach includes:
-
Comprehensive Assessments: We use advanced functional testing to uncover the underlying issues that may be contributing to your child’s symptoms, such as immune system imbalances, gut health issues, or nutrient deficiencies.
-
Personalized Care Plans: Each child and their wellness journey are unique. Collaborating with you we create individualized plans that address your child's specific needs, ensuring that both symptoms and root causes are treated.
-
Whole-Child Focus: Our holistic approach means we don’t just treat the symptoms—we focus on the whole child, considering how diet, environment, lifestyle, and stress levels may impact their health.
By addressing the root causes of your child’s symptoms, our goal is to help them regain their health and joy, allowing them to thrive both physically and emotionally.