I was sent, courtesy of the publisher, a review copy of the book Healthy Child, Whole Child – Integrating the Best of Conventional and Alternative Medicine to Keep Your Kids Healthy - by Stuart H Ditchek, M.D. and Russell H. Greenfield, M.D. and found it to be a great reference for exploring options beyond (but not excluding) conventional pediatric care.
As parents, we want the best for our children and I personally believe that desire is strongest when it comes to their health. We don’t like to see them hurting, we don’t want them impaired by an illness or physical condition, and we naturally want them to have the best possible chance of living the healthiest life possible. There are times when conventional medicine falls a little short of the goal or has undesired effects even if it does work as anticipated.
Without leaving behind conventional medicine, Drs Ditchek and Greenfield explore integrative medicine, a term popularized by Dr. Andrew Weil, in Healthy Child, Whole Child. Integrative medicine, as stated in Healthy Child, Whole Child is a medical model in which:
…The Whole Person – body, mind, spirit, lifestyle, environment – is taken into account.
…Treatment focuses on the underlying causes of a health problem as well as the symptoms.
…The body’s natural capacity for healing is engaged and supported.
…Doctor and patient work in partnership.
…Care is individualized.
…Both conventional and “alternative” therapies are considered.
…Emphasis is placed on prevention of medical problems and promotion of healthy behaviors.
…Gentler therapies with fewer side effects are tried first.
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From protection to healthy lifestyle to therapies to medical conditions, Healthy Child, Whole Child is a book you should read when researching or exploring interest in additional methods of pediatric care.
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