Childhood. What we wouldn’t give to go back, huh? We enjoy the rose-colored rearview mirror as much as the next guy, but the truth is that childhood is often as tough as it is magical. In fact, the CDC reports that as many as 20% of U.S. children struggle with a mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder like ADHD, depression, or anxiety. Most doctors meet their pediatric patients’ needs using prescription medication as a first and last line of defense, but while medication is sometimes necessary, a more holistic approach to treatment can address symptoms at the root cause. Keep reading to learn how integrative behavioral health (IBH) can help your child overcome behavioral health conditions and feel better.
Behavioral Health Causes & Symptoms
Let’s face it. Humans live in a very different world than we did 100 years ago, and we’re an even farther cry from our hunter-gatherer ancestors. Everything from artificial light to processed foods and social isolation can cause ripple effects through a child’s developing body and mind. Getting too much or too little of the needs our bodies were designed to work with can be harmful, and it’s no surprise to discover a link between these factors and behavioral health concerns. Common symptoms and comorbidities include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Hyperactivity
- Impulse control
- GI distress
- Eczema
- Frequent upper respiratory distress
- & the list goes on
Root Causes
The traditional behavioral health intervention model usually only provides a band-aid solution, papering over symptoms and potentially piling on side effects. Integrative behavioral health seeks to solve the underlying root causes of behavioral health concerns, including:
Genetics
Family history plays a key role in the genetic disposition to develop disorders like depression, anxiety or ADHD. If it “runs in the family,” your child could be more likely to struggle with the same behavioral health conditions as their elders.
Nutrient Deficiencies
We know picky kids don’t always want to eat their fill of nutritious foods. In fact, ⅔ of American children don’t eat vegetables daily. However, nutrient deficiencies, such as a lack of B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and other nutrients, are linked to various mental health issues.
Sleep Routines
Poor sleep quality and insufficient sleep can exacerbate or even trigger mental health problems. Unfortunately, there is a bidirectional relationship between sleep and mental health, where sleep issues can lead to mental health conditions, and these conditions can further disrupt sleep, making intervention even more important.
Exercise
Lack of exercise can lead to the development and worsening of mental health conditions, while regular exercise helps reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and improves overall well-being.
Microbiome Dysregulation
90% of serotonin is made in the gut, so when the gut microbiome is dysregulated, those feel-good hormones are, too. An off-kilter microbiome is a major contributor to behavioral health concerns, which means that “gut feeling” is usually trying to tell us something.
How Integrative Behavioral Health Works
An integrative behavioral health approach takes a bird’ s-eye view of your child’s overall health profile—symptoms, lifestyle, and all—and addresses the potential causes of behavioral health symptoms to root them out. We aren’t counselors. We aren’t psychiatrists. But IBH specialists get everyone at the table to provide healthcare options before resorting to medication.
Microbiome Assessment
Because the microbiome plays such a leading role in producing happy hormones, your child’s IBH specialist will typically start treatment with a stool sample. This assessment will allow your specialist to understand the unique diversity of your child’s microbiome to determine if key bacteria are missing and how they play off one another.
Nutrient Assessment
Taking note of which nutrients your child might be lacking can help point your doctor toward supplements that can restore your child’s nutritional health. Or, in some cases unique allergies or sensitivities can contribute to behavioral issues. Taking an integrative approach at all these contributors allows the IBT specialist to avoid culprits and restore deficiencies to reduce symptoms of ADHD, depression, anxiety, or other behavioral health concerns.
Genetic Testing
Should medicine become necessary, we can perform genetic testing to learn how your child’s body might work with certain prescriptions. This can help you and your child bypass the trial and error often associated with behavioral health medication management. It can also help us to understand your child’s predisposition for certain conditions.
It’s important to understand that treatment often depends on your child’s age. Developmental milestones can impact the course of treatment your IBH specialist may decide to take to put their growth and development first.
Benefits of Working with an Integrative Behavioral Health Specialist
Early Start for Better Outcomes
Like with any medical condition, the earlier we intervene, the easier it will be to address any potential root causes of your child’s symptoms. This head start will give your child an early understanding of their unique needs and the importance of caring for their physical health in promoting their mental health as well.
Limiting Side Effects
At a particularly vulnerable stage in life, doctors often prescribe medication for growing children to address behavioral health symptoms like ADHD, depression, or anxiety. Seeing an IBH specialist can limit the need for these medications and their potential brain chemistry-altering side effects, helping your child continue to grow without inhibitions.
Getting Counseling or Psychiatric Referrals
Your IBH specialist will be able to provide resources for you to connect to psychiatry and psychology specialists should the need arise.
Peace of Mind
As a parent, it can be difficult to make the decision to medicate your child for behavioral health conditions – but sometimes, it is necessary. Seeing an IBH specialist can help you rest easy knowing that you’ve exhausted all other options, so you can get your child the care they need with peace of mind.
Set Your Child Up for Success at ZüpMed
Do you have a hyperactive child? Perhaps they’re having trouble focusing or controlling their impulses at school? Or maybe they’re struggling with signs of depression and anxiety, and you’re not sure why. In any case, it can be gut-wrenching to be a parent watching your child struggle, but we’re here to help.
ZüpMed’s Dr. Hillary Hunt leads our integrative behavioral health efforts – and she’s got the dual Internal Medicine & Pediatric board certifications to back her up. With a passion for treating the whole patient, Dr. Hunt is ready to give your child the compassionate care they deserve.
If you’re ready to find the right path to treatment for your little one, schedule an IBH assessment with us today.