Increasing Need for Holistic Pediatric Education

For Medical Doctors

It is evident that conventional doctors have limited resources to truly help children with the prevalent chronic diseases mentioned above. Medical doctors typically prescribe drugs for these conditions, which can exacerbate the problem over the long-term and create other problems within the body. Despite impressive new treatments and technologies, conventional medicine has little success with curing, and even providing symptom relief, of chronic diseases. The present model of health care that seeks to suppress symptoms with drugs simply does not work and is contributing to even greater problems for our children.

Parents, doctors, the media, and even government officials are now questioning the safety of pharmaceutical drugs. Congress is currently debating about whether the FDA is capable of protecting Americans from potentially risky medicine. Continual reports of serious problems with well-known drugs are common occurrences. The medical industry is under scrutiny due to recent troubles with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), anti-depressants causing increased risk of suicidal behavior in children, and a drug for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that can cause severe liver injury. Class action law suits have been filed against vaccine manufacturers by parents who claim that a mercury derivative in vaccines caused their children's autism.

As alternative care becomes more in demand, conventional doctors will need to expand their view of medicine. Parents are requesting holistic medicine and conventional pediatricians need to take a more holistic, integrative approach. The timing is right for doctors to obtain a true understanding of holistic principles.

For Alternative Health Practitioners

Parents report that they have a difficult time finding a chiropractor, Oriental medical doctor, homeopath, naturopath, or other alternative practitioners who specialize in children's health care. These health professionals are often ill-equipped to manage children's cases, especially young children and infants. Many of these practitioners will treat children, but have not been fully trained in children's specific needs. The specialty member organizations that provide education and other benefits to these health professionals provide little education about the unique requirements of children.

Children are not little adults. They have unique bodily processes and health care needs. As more parents bring their children to alternative health professionals, it is imperative that these practitioners have adequate training in recognizing symptoms of specific childhood illnesses that may be life-threatening and need additional medical care. They need an understanding of breastfeeding, a child's delicate brain development, and how environmental toxins can uniquely affect a child's immune and nervous systems. They need to know how to safely and successfully treat autism, ADHD, children's asthma, and other chronic conditions that are unique to children. If they are using Chinese or Western herbs, they should know which formulas are safe and effective for a small child. They must have a basic understanding of children's unique nutritional needs.

Holistic health practitioners that specialize in children's health care also need adequate exposure so parents can find them. They must be easily accessible to parents.

As members of the HPA, health practitioners can be confident that they are obtaining the best education and doing the most they can for their patients. The networking and exposure opportunities that the HPA provides will open their practices to a wider field of patients.

For Parents

Many parents look to their pediatrician to provide answers to questions and for guidance on how to care for their children. Unfortunately, pediatricians get their information from traditional medical training and many are tragically uninformed when it comes to brain development, breastfeeding, nutrition, naturally strengthening a child's immune system, environmental toxins, and emotional bonding.

Parents are questioning the safety of giving potentially toxic pharmaceutical drugs to their children and are seeking safer, gentler alternatives. Parents who question or reject conventional medicine often feel alienated and isolated. They are sometimes coerced into conforming to the current standards of conventional medical practice when those methods conflict with their own personal philosophies of health and wellness.

Parents who are informed and who are trying to give their children the holistic, nurturing care they need, are constantly challenged by mainstream influences on their children. These parents may continually deal with peer pressure, isolation, and are sometimes ostracized for doing what they know is right for their children. These issues can be resolved with the education of large numbers of parents and the development of support networks.

Extraordinary Health Care Costs

Society can no longer afford to spend astronomical amounts of money on conventional medical care, especially when it has not shown to improve health to any significant degree. Transforming pediatrics now will save an extraordinary amount of money in future health care for our nation, due to the enormous decrease in chronic, degenerative diseases and the decrease in mental health issues that will result from educating doctors and parents in creating health and wellness in their children.

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