Read time: 4 minutes Within pediatric integrative medicine, micronutrient status is increasingly recognized as a determinant of neurodevelopmental stability. Nutrients such as iron, zinc, magnesium, and essential fatty acids are foundational for neurotransmitter synthesis and synaptic modulation. Vitamin D, traditionally viewed through the lens of bone and immune health, has emerged as a critical neurosteroid with […]
Read time: 4 minutes Few clinical presentations demand more nuanced intervention than the underweight child with selective eating. These are not simply “picky eaters.” Many exhibit entrenched feeding difficulties—sensory sensitivities, food rigidity, gut dysfunction, or features of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). These children often fail to meet energy requirements through food alone, despite dietetic […]
Read time: 4 minutes Maternal nutrition has long been understood as central to fetal growth and pregnancy outcomes. Increasingly, however, it is recognized as a determinant of long-term pediatric health. The intrauterine environment—shaped by maternal diet, lifestyle, and metabolic status—acts as an early regulator of immune system development, metabolic programming, and microbial tolerance. Traditionally, prenatal […]
Read time: 5 minutes ✉️ A note from Dr. Krumbeck, Politics aside, as clinicians it is our responsibility to critically evaluate the literature so we can make the best recommendations to our patients. Unfortunately, when politics and science become intertwined the evidence can be distorted or misrepresented, leaving patients and consumers confused about what to trust […]
Read time: 5 minutes As integrative pediatric clinicians, we’ve long understood that medications don’t act in a vacuum. Every compound we introduce into the body—whether prescribed, over-the-counter, or natural—interacts not only with human physiology, but with the trillions of microbes that call the gut home. For years, our conversations around antimicrobial resistance have understandably focused […]
Read time: 3 minutes Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) remains a frequent and frustrating complication in pediatric primary care. While most cases are self-limiting, AAD can increase caregiver distress, interrupt treatment adherence, and occasionally lead to more serious sequelae such as dehydration or Clostridioides difficile infection. Probiotic interventions are a common integrative strategy, yet clarity is still […]
What is the function of vitamin B6? Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin known as pyridoxine. The active coenzyme forms of vitamin B6 are called pyridoxal-5-phosphate (PLP) and pyridoxamine 5 phosphate (PMP). Vitamin B6 performs a wide variety of functions throughout the body in these active coenzyme forms. It is involved in over 100 enzymatic […]
Read time: 3 minutes Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) and otitis media remain among the most common causes of morbidity in children, often leading to missed school days, parental stress, and frequent antibiotic prescriptions. With rising concerns about antimicrobial resistance and microbiome disruption, there is growing interest in safe, evidence-based botanical interventions. Echinacea purpurea, long […]
Read time: 2 minutes Persistent, spastic cough in pertussis-like syndrome (PLS) can be distressing for children and frustrating to manage in clinical practice. While macrolide antibiotics address underlying pathogens, they often fall short in alleviating symptoms. A new systematic review and meta-analysis examines whether integrating traditional herbal medicine (HM) with standard Western medicine (WM) can […]
Read time: 3 minutes Childhood obesity is a complex condition shaped by far more than calorie intake. Inflammation, metabolic signaling, and the gut microbiome all play a role—and targeting the gut ecosystem has become a growing area of research. A new systematic review explores whether microbiome-based therapies can shift outcomes for pediatric obesity. Here’s what […]
