I recently had the pleasure of meeting a local board certified pediatrician (Dr Sheila Kilbane, MD) who introduced me to the medical philosophy of “integrative medicine” as she prepared to expand her practice. I honestly had not heard of this concept before. I had heard the term “western medicine”, “traditional medicine” versus “holistic medicine”. And my experience had been that most practitioners were on opposite sides. MDs frowned upon discussion of alternative disease prevention and treatment options and dismissed them as not “real medicine” and “medical school dropouts”. And at the other end of the spectrum, naturopathic doctors had become somewhat skeptical of modern medicine because they believed it focused solely on aggressive and highly invasive disease treatment methods rather than prevention and looking at patients as more than just the sum of their body parts.
So when she described to me the notion of finding common ground and integrating the best of conventional/modern medicine and research-based science with alternative medicine so we can better take care of ourselves and more importantly, our children I was fascinated. So fascinated that after attending a dinner presentation she and her practice partner presented at, I took it upon myself to read more about it. I found many articles on it from reputable sources including WebMD and Duke Integrative Medicine at Duke University (if you click on these links you will be taken to these articles) and I researched more about its founder, Dr Andrew Weil, a Harvard medical school educated physician who founded and serves as Program Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.
In addition, I stumbled upon a book called “Healthy Child, Whole Child” and I have been forever changed. In the first chapter of the book the key principles of the integrative medicine philosophy are described. The author notes that some MDs already practice this without labeling it as such, but the majority don’t because it’s not highly focused on in medical school. What drew me to it is the middle ground, the compromise and the ability to be open minded about different alternatives. So here they are:
- The Whole Person – body, mind, spirit, lifestyle, nutrition, 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 and tailored to each patient’s unique medical history, conditions and profile
- Both conventional and “alternative” therapies (such as meditation, acupuncture, stress/relaxation techniques, herbal supplements, etc) are considered and not mutually exclusive
- Emphasis is placed on prevention of medical problems and promotion of healthy behaviors including the acknowledgement that patients and parents have good instincts about their health.
- Gentler therapies with fewer side effects are tried first and then if those don’t work, more intense, invasive options are applied.
Source: “Healthy Child, Whole Child” – Ditchek (MD) and Greenfield (MD) 2009
What I like about this approach is that the foundation is solid research and modern medicine, but at the same time, it is coupled with the acceptance that sometimes other options are available before we jump on aggressive medicines and or surgery. So let’s take for example something as common as an ear infection. If your pediatrician practices integrative medicine, they would partner with you and explain to you that in many cases (as high as 90% of cases) ear infections go away on their own and so a “wait and see” approach may be prudent especially if the child does not have a high fever or is exhibiting any serious symptoms, rather than automatically prescribing an antibiotic. As we all know, the current over-prescription of antibiotics is causing many resistant bacteria to flourish (such as MSRA).
So how do you tell if your pediatrician is currently practicing this approach and if he/she is not, what can you do as a parent? Below are some great tips that I read on the book and started practicing with my own doctor.
1. Keep your own medical file for each family member (record of doctors visits, vaccines, prior conditions, test results, medications taken, side effects, allergic reactions, etc)
2. Write down the questions you want to ask your doctor (prior to your appointment and then hand them over to doctor at beginning of appointment)
3. Don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor
4. Be honest about all nontraditional approaches that have been tried and whether they worked for your child
5. If a drug is prescribed, as if it is needed right away (ask about side effects and if a “wait and see approach” is prudent
6. Ask for handouts or other printed materials available on subjects of interest to you
7. Educate yourself
So next time you visit your pediatrician or family doctor, if you are interested in this philosophy of medicine, ask them what they think. You might just be surprised.They may even welcome your more involved and active role as a parent and as a patient. And if you’re committed to exploring this approach and he/she is not open to it, you may want to look into other doctors who are. Please welcome Dr. Kilbane to our empowered mommies community! and be sure to read her latest blog here on our site. She expands upon what it means to practice this medicine philosophy with children.