Who is a holistic pediatrician?
A holistic pediatrician combines Western and holistic medicine to care for children up to 18-21 years. It means they focus on the child’s entire health when diagnosing and treating them, including their physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual, and environmental health. They also take into account their lifestyle and diet habits. They aim to ensure all these aspects are properly integrated and balanced to achieve optimal health and well-being.
When you visit a specialist for your diagnosis, instead of just prescribing medications to treat asthma symptoms, they will try to understand potential factors causing it, such as genetics, allergies, air pollution, or exposure to cigarette smoke. Based on the findings, they will prepare an individualized treatment plan that may combine breathing exercises, diet recommendations, and lifestyle changes apart from medications. This way, they tackle the symptoms and prevent the problem from becoming chronic.
What conditions can a holistic pediatrician treat?
Holistic pediatricians can treat various physical and mental health conditions affecting children. Some common ones with their symptoms include:
- Asthma: It is a respiratory condition in which the lungs and airways get inflamed and narrow, making breathing difficult. Common symptoms include frequent coughing fits, shortness of breath, chest congestion, and wheezing.
- Allergies: Several allergic reactions are common in children, including allergic rhinitis, nasal congestion, ear infections, and food allergies. Allergies occur when the immune system mistakenly thinks a substance is potentially dangerous and reacts to protect the body from it. It results in hives, sneezing, a stuffy nose, and diarrhea.
- Gastrointestinal issues: Constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain are common symptoms of gastrointestinal problems. It includes acid reflux, lactose intolerance, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and celiac disease.
- Sleep issues: Children must get at least 9 hours of sound sleep every night. Infants and toddlers will likely need more sleep. Signs of sleep troubles include snoring, difficulty falling asleep or waking up, nightmares, sleepwalking, bedwetting, and daytime sleepiness.
- Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): This neurodevelopmental disorder among children causes attention difficulties, impulsive behaviors, and overactivity. These kids may lose their belongings quickly, fidget, talk too much, and need help getting along with peers.
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD): A child with autism, another common neurodevelopmental disorder, often faces difficulties in communication and interaction. They also exhibit repeated behaviors or interests and learn, move, and function differently from their peers.
- Anxiety: Having excessive and persistent fears and worries can interfere with school, play, and other activities of daily living. Children may have separation anxiety, social anxiety, general anxiety, phobias, or panic disorder.
- Depression: Feeling sad, hopeless, and disinterested for a prolonged period can suggest the child is going through depression. Other signs include changes in appetite, sleep, and energy levels, engaging in self-harm, and having suicidal thoughts.
What questions would your child’s holistic pediatrician ask?
When you visit a holistic pediatrician near you, apart from reviewing your child's medical history and understanding their symptoms, the specialist will ask many questions to get a holistic view of their health. Give them as much detail as possible so that they can offer the best possible care for your child. You can expect some of the following questions:
- How would you describe your child’s diet?
- Does your child have any allergies or sensitivities?
- What is your child’s everyday routine?
- How much physical activity does your child engage in daily?
- What is your child’s sleep schedule?
- How does your child interact with family and friends?
- Does your child have any emotional or behavioral issues?
- How does your child cope with stress?
- Are there any family stressors or life changes impacting the child?
- How would you describe the environment around your child?
- Do you have any particular health and wellness goals for your child?
Benefits of choosing a holistic pediatrician
Holistic pediatric care goes beyond treating symptoms—it focuses on nurturing a child's full potential by supporting their mental, physical, and emotional growth from the beginning. Here are several ways this approach can benefit you in the long run:
- Your child gets a health plan that evolves with them: In most traditional settings, pediatric visits can feel rushed and impersonal, with appointments often scheduled back-to-back. Holistic pediatricians believe in giving families the time they deserve. By truly getting to know your child and understanding their needs, you build personalized health plans that evolve as your child grows. This individualized care helps address underlying issues early, supports developmental milestones, and empowers parents to participate in their child's care actively.
If you're seeking a more personalized and attentive approach, consider connecting with a holistic pediatrician near you who takes time to develop long-term care strategies tailored to your child's development.
- You gain access to both traditional and integrative treatment options: Choosing a holistic pediatrician doesn't mean you have to give up conventional medical practices. Holistic pediatricians follow recommended guidelines for screenings and assessments at each child's wellness visit from infancy through adolescence. The key difference is that you gain more choices. Whether your child needs lifestyle changes, herbal support, or standard medical care, a holistic practice offers a well-rounded set of tools to support their health over time.
- Chronic conditions are approached with a comprehensive, long-term perspective: If your child has a chronic condition, you know how vital it is to have the right medical support. Holistic pediatricians take the time to look deeper into chronic issues like asthma, sleep problems, or digestive discomforts. Instead of managing symptoms, they explore contributing factors and offer sustainable solutions—including homeopathy and lifestyle changes—that work alongside conventional care. This long-term strategy helps manage the condition and prevent complications.
- You and your child are empowered through education and support: Long-term wellness starts with informed decision-making. Holistic practices emphasize education just as much as treatment. Whether navigating early parenting or dealing with a complex diagnosis, you'll find valuable resources, one-on-one guidance, and ongoing support to help you make the best choices for your child's future health.
If you're ready to take the next step, look for a holistic pediatrician near you who offers the right mix of knowledge, compassion, and comprehensive care.
Where can you find top-rated holistic pediatricians near you?
Many parents are realizing the importance of holistic care for their children that puts equal emphasis on physical and mental health. This approach can help shape their long-term well-being and prepare them for adulthood. To ensure your children enjoy a good quality of life, consider partnering with a holistic pediatrician!
If you need help finding the best provider for your child, Zocdoc is a platform worth exploring. Go to the search box and enter all the required information—specialty (holistic pediatrician), location (anywhere in the USA), and insurance details. Once you click ‘find,’ you will receive an extensive list of in-network providers in and around your area.
It is possible to filter your search results according to the appointment date and time, travel distance, and in-person or virtual consultations. Furthermore, you can choose your preferences related to the provider, such as their gender, hospital affiliations, and languages they speak.
Zocdoc ensures transparency between the provider and the patient at every stage. Hence, before you finalize a provider, you can check their profile page to learn about their education, training, licenses, certifications, experience, and associated organizations. You can also check verified patient reviews to understand their bedside manners, wait times, and other aspects of professionalism.
If you are not able to locate your insurance plan listed on Zocdoc, try uploading an image of your medical insurance card (not applicable for vision and dental plans). The website will automatically scan the picture and show you your most likely plan. Contact Zocdoc's service team if you face any problems uploading the image. You can also refer to Zocdoc's patient help center for more insurance-related queries.
Once you have found the right holistic pediatrician near you to help your child, go ahead and book your appointment using Zocdoc—it is safe, secure, and 100% free!
Pediatric health statistics
According to America’s Health Rankings, as of 2021, children under 18 years of age make up around 22.2% of the total population in the country. Between 2020 and 2021, nearly 9.2%, meaning 5.6 million children, had anxiety problems. During the same years, depression was also prevalent among children, with about 4.2% or 2.5 million children having the condition. The numbers have steadily risen in recent years, with about a 23% increase in anxiety and a 27% increase in depression since 2017-2018.
America’s Health Rankings also reported lifestyle factors influencing children’s health. The 2020-2021 findings suggest that only 20.5% of children ages 6-17 were physically active for at least an hour daily compared to 22.3% in 2018-2019. Food sufficiency saw a positive increase in recent years, with households of around 71.9% of children up to 17 years old, who could always afford to provide good, nutritious meals between 2020 and 2021. Back in 2018-2019, only 68.1% of households were food sufficient.
A two-year estimate between 2018 and 2020 shows that there were around 10.8 deaths by suicide per 100,000 adolescents ages 15-19. Suicides were more common among males (16.3 deaths) than females (5.1 deaths). In 2020, there were about 15.4 births per 1,000 females ages 15-19 compared to 40.2 births in 2008, upholding a significant decrease in teen births.
Sources
WebMD[1]
WebMD[2]
CenterSpringMD
Hope For Healing
Mayo Clinic
American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
SmartClinic Urgent Care
America’s Health Rankings[1]
America’s Health Rankings[2]
America’s Health Rankings[3]
America’s Health Rankings[4]
Thrive pediatrics
Dr. Ashley Pediatrics
