Pediatric Integrative Medicine (PIM)

Pediatric Integrative Medicine (PIM) Wellness Centre: A Holistic Approach to Children's Health

The increasing prevalence of pediatric conditions such as ADHD, asthma, obesity, autism, cancer, diabetes, chronic pain, and frequent illnesses has led to the rise of Pediatric Integrative Medicine (PIM). This holistic approach to healing focuses on the entire child, addressing all aspects of their well-being, including nutrition, mind-body connection, physical activity, sleep, and exposure to environmental toxins. Unlike traditional symptom-based medicine, PIM aims to understand and address the root causes of a child's health concerns.

Understanding Pediatric Integrative Medicine

Pediatric Integrative Medicine combines conventional medical practices with evidence-based complementary therapies to offer children a well-rounded, individualized approach to health. When children experience prolonged or severe stress—whether physical, emotional, environmental, or social—it can trigger toxic stress, disrupting the neuro-endocrine-immune system and leading to chronic inflammation. This, in turn, can result in physical, mental, and emotional symptoms, manifesting as disease over time. PIM works to prevent and treat such conditions by focusing on holistic well-being, identifying and mitigating the stressors affecting a child’s life.

At the PIM Wellness Centre, care is coordinated among various specialists, including pediatricians, naturopaths, homeopaths, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, certified child life specialists, pediatric nutritionists, and registered pediatric psychotherapists. Together, they provide a comprehensive, integrative approach that promotes the health and wellness of children.

What Makes PIM Wellness Centre Unique?

• Whole-Child Focus: Pediatric integrative medicine treats children as whole individuals, addressing all aspects of their lifestyle and environment, rather than just focusing on individual symptoms or diseases.
• Collaboration of Specialists: PIM emphasizes collaboration between traditional pediatricians and complementary practitioners to ensure well-coordinated care.
• Personalized Treatment Plans: Every child’s health plan is unique, taking into account their genetic background, environment, nutrition, stress levels, and other factors that influence their overall health.
• Holistic Therapies: Integrative medicine incorporates therapies like acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutritional therapy, and mind-body practices, alongside conventional medical treatments, to enhance the body’s natural healing processes.

A Holistic care for our precious ones

Children who experience frequent illnesses, chronic conditions, or developmental challenges can benefit greatly from consulting a functional medicine practitioner specializing in pediatric integrative care. Our goal is to identify the root causes of illnesses and diseases and create a personalized plan that addresses the child’s whole body and lifestyle. Whether a child is dealing with allergies, digestive issues, or behavioral concerns, integrative medicine provides a more comprehensive path to healing.

The Role of Parents in Pediatric Integrative Medicine

Many parents have realized that conventional medicine alone may not address all of their child’s health needs. Rather than simply treating diseases and symptoms, Pediatric Integrative Medicine focuses on understanding and resolving the underlying causes of illness. By embracing a patient-centered approach, this type of care fosters long-term health and resilience, helping children grow into healthier adults.

Why Choose Pediatric Integrative Medicine?

The health of your child is the foundation for their future well-being. Integrative medicine is about more than just treating symptoms; it’s about building a healthy, resilient child by focusing on their overall physical, mental, and emotional wellness. By looking at the bigger picture, including diet, environment, genetics, and even stressors like social or emotional factors, integrative medicine helps reduce the risk of chronic diseases and enhances your child’s quality of life.

At the PIM Wellness Centre, we use both conventional medical treatments and holistic approaches to create a well-rounded, individualized health plan that nurtures your child’s mind, body, and spirit. By collaborating with a range of complementary specialists, we ensure that every child receives the care they need to thrive.

By moving away from the traditional disease-focused model, functional medicine takes a patient-centered approach, addressing the whole person rather than just a set of symptoms. Our Pediatric Integrative Medicine practitioners take the time to understand each child's history, carefully examining the interactions between genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that can impact long-term health and contribute to chronic conditions. This comprehensive approach supports each child's unique path to health and vitality.

Common conditions we treat through a collaborative approach between traditional pediatric medicine and complementary therapies include:

• Abdominal pain
• ADHD
• Allergies
• Alopecia
• Asthma
• Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Behavioral Concerns
• Bed Wetting
• Chronic/Recurrent Ear Infections
• Diarrhea/Constipation
• Eczema/Rashes
• Emotional Outbursts
• Food Allergies/Sensitivities and Related Concerns
• Headaches
• OCD and Related Concerns
• PANS/PANDAS
• Tics/Tic Related Disorders
• Weight Gain/Weight Loss
• Recurrent infections/illnesses

Drawing from and honoring the sacred Indigenous Medicine Wheel, we have adapted a framework in which to think about Pediatric Integrative Health. The wheel shows the child in the center and represented by the tree. The spokes of the wheel represent ways of healing. The child is represented by the tree: needing strong roots, rich soil, clean air, and sunlight to grow. The many hands surrounding the tree represent the importance of the child's family and community- present and essential in supporting the child.