301 - Overview of supportive and alternative care

Welcome to Season 3 of The Baby Manual podcast with Dr. Carole Keim - pediatrician, mom, author of The Baby Manual and the upcoming Holistic Mamas Handbook. In this new season Dr. Keim will take parents through things like teething, colic, constipation, and allergies. This first episode explores what types of modalities are available, from Western medicine to acupuncture to naturopathy and more.   

In visiting alternative practitioners, interviewing them, and going through the research, Dr. Keim has learned how many things are available to parents to help children feel better when they’re ill. Western medicine, our traditional medical system in the US, has great advantages but is not always the best at improving quality of life. So Carole explains the options for a multifaceted approach, what to look for, and how each can help children thrive. 

In this episode:

Why CAM? 00:26

• Many modalities of healthcare 
• Western medicine does a lot of things well, but nobody does everything the best
• Kids under age 3 can’t take most OTC medications, but still suffer from many ailments
• A multifaceted approach is often the best one
• Treat symptoms and underlying disease at the same time
• Important to know which ones might interfere with others, and what’s safe for babies
• Writing HMH to help parents through this time; let you know what’s safe, what will actually help 
• Stay tuned because this season we will cover teething, colic, constipation, allergies, and more

Practitioners

• Western
• Chiropractic 
• Acupuncture
• Nutrition
• Massage
• Homeopathy
• Aromatherapy
• Naturopathy 
  • These are in the Holistic Mamas Handbook
  • The most common ones used in the US are chiropractic, acupuncture, homeopathy, and naturopathy

Western med  02:03

• Philosophy: Body = collection of independent systems.  Treat the underlying cause when possible.  Prolong life.  
• Tools: Physical examination, lab testing, imaging, medications whose direct action is well understood 
• Training: 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, 3-5 years of residency, additional years of fellowship to subspecialize
• How to spot a good one: MD or DO, open minded, offers more than one solution, works with you on the treatment plan 

Acupuncture  04:19

• Philosophy: stimulating points along specific channels can affect nerves and muscles, releases chemicals into the bloodstream, and triggers the body’s natural healing mechanisms to bring about homeostasis.  Shonishin dates back to the late 1600s 
• Tools: shonishin is the technique used for children - observe the child, ask questions, feel pulses, and treat.  Blunt tools are used to stroke, tap, and press on the points.  Should be painless and not scary.  Sometimes also use cupping and/or indirect moxibustion.  Moxa is made from mugwort. 
• Training: 4 years of college, plus 3 years of acupuncture school for LAc, 4 years for DACM.  
• How to spot a good one: certified in shonishin, has pediatric experience, DACM vs LAc.

Chiropractic  07:21

• Philosophy: body has an innate ability to heal itself.  Nerves control everything, and pressure on those nerves from bones being out of alignment causes dysfunction.  
• Tools: adjustments - manual, clicker, drop table vs flat
• Training: 3-4 years undergrad, 3-4 years of chiropractic school, earn DC 
• How to spot a good one: Webster certified, icpa4kids.com, gentle, listens to the child

Naturopathy  09:40

• Philosophy: the body has the inherent nature to heal itself, the whole person is treated (mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, and social components), first do no harm, identify and treat the cause (not just the symptoms), prevention is the best cure, and the ND is a teacher whose main role is to educate, empower, and motivate patients to take responsibility of their own health
• Tools: nutrition, homeopathy, herbal remedies, hydrotherapy, massage, fascial manipulation, acupuncture, fasting, breathing.  Since naturopathy is so broad, few studies have been done on it as a discipline, but there are many studies about the specific techniques used.  
• Training: 4 years of undergrad, 4 years of ND school.  Curriculum includes many of the same classes as western medical doctors, but less pharmacology and more training on herbal and alternative remedies and modalities.
• How to spot a good one: certified by AANMC, knows when to refer to western medicine for pharmacologic interventions 

Homeopathy  12:54

• Philosophy: like cures like, and the more dilute a preparation is, the stronger it is.  
• Tools: observation of a person’s constitution, remedies that are made from an herb or pathogen and are diluted until no longer detectable and made into pellets with sugar 
• Training: 2-4 years undergrad, 3-4 years homeopathic school 
• How to spot a good one: CCH = certified classical homeopath 

Essential oils / Aromatherapy  15:05

• Philosophy: strengthen the self-healing process by stimulating the immune system.  Inhaled scent molecules travel along the olfactory nerves to the amygdala (emotional center of the brain)
• Tools: essential oils are extracted by steam distillation or cold pressing.  Oils are either inhaled, ingested, or applied topically.  Children should not ingest essential oils because they’re not regulated and very concentrated.  If you’re using them on your child’s skin, always use a carrier oil to dilute them so they don’t get irritation or a chemical burn.  
• Training: none required
• How to spot a good one: someone with a range of experience who isn’t tied to one brand in particular.  Good oils will come in dark glass bottles, will list the plant name in latin, and won’t have other chemicals added.  

Dr. Keim has extensively researched the information presented in this episode. Her insight and knowledge on alternative and holistic treatments come together in her new book, Holistic Mamas Handbook, launching on November 15, 2023. Pre-orders are available here. Her book, The Baby Manual, covers the first year of baby life and is the subject of the first two seasons of this podcast. For additional tips and advice on babies and toddlers, follow Dr. Carole Keim on her TikTok and YouTube channels. And remember, it’s always okay to call your doctor or emergency services if you have concerns about your child’s health.   

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Pre-order the Holistic Mamas Handbook, launch date 11/15/23
• The Baby Manual is available on Amazon
• Supplement/vitamins link for 10% off

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Dr. Carole Keim MD: linktree | tiktok | instagram