Case Management:
Case Management is a service that includes linking families to services and supports, advocating for children in the community and schools and supporting individuals with Special Needs in all areas. Case Management is provided in the context of the medical visit by an experienced Case Manager, Julie Blackburn, QDDP, QMHP. Julie has been in the Wilmington area for 10 years and has worked in the public school and private sector with children with Developmental Disabilities and Mental Health diagnoses. Her extensive experience in these populations complements the work of Dr. Harum. Case Management is also provided in Spanish for those families who are primarily Spanish-speaking. Spanish interpretation is conducted during Dr. Harum's medical visits whenever necessary.
Biomedical Testing and Treatments
Children with developmental disorders are unique individuals with complex disorders. They often have underlying health issues that contribute to and compound the effects of their disorder, or are wholly responsible for their developmental disorder.
Diagnostic testing is conducted on all children before therapeutic treatments are recommended. A unique therapeutic regimen is tailored to each child’s individual history, physical and laboratory profile.
Testing:
Following a thorough history, physical and neurological exam, we discuss the need for further testing, including, but not limited to the following:
- Assessments of genes and markers of neurological disorders
- Allergy testing, including sensitivities to gluten, casein and other
- Assessments for heavy metal accumulation and the metabolic effects of
- Amino acid testing
- Metabolic testing
- Mutation Analysis
- Assessments of immune competency or dysfunction
- Neurophysiologic tests when appropriate
- allergens
- environmental toxicity
Treatments:
Once initial testing is completed, Dr. Harum will discuss possible courses of treatment tailored to the specific needs of your child, incorporating integrative medicine approaches when appropriate.
The Sublingual Drop Program:
Would you like to treat the cause of allergies�not just the symptoms? Your child may be identified as a candidate for allergy drops � also known as sublingual immunotherapy. Allergy drops work like allergy shots, slowly desensitizing the body to its allergies, but they�re delivered under the tongue in a drop form that can be taken safely at home. Allergy drops can effectively treat a broad range of allergies, including pollens, dander and other environmental allergies as well as foods, mold and chemical sensitivities.
Step One: Evaluation and Testing
Based on your child's exam and allergy history, we will order a series of blood tests to identify which allergens are affecting her. Results of the tests will be available for your return visit in two-three weeks, at which time we will review your child's treatment plan.
Step Two: Treatment Plan
Based on your child's history, physical exam and test results, a treatment plan will be developed for him that includes prescribing custom-formulated allergy drops. We might also recommend environmental changes and medication for symptom relief, however most patients who take allergy drops find that their need for medication decreases soon after allergy drop therapy begins.
Step Three: Receive Your Allergy Drops
Within two weeks your child's allergy drops will be shipped directly to you.
Step Four: Time and Consistency
Now it's up to you. Take the drops every day as instructed. Some patients feel symptom relief in just a few weeks, but some may need more time to notice a difference. The key to successful allergy drop therapy is consistency - taking the drops every day as instructed - to keep your child's immune system stimulated and provide the most benefit. As you notice improvement, keep taking the drops. We will monitor your progress and adjust your dosage occasionally as your child becomes more desensitized. Even though you may not be experiencing symptoms, it's important that your child completes the entire course of treatment to ensure that she receives all the long-term benefits of her treatment. Most patients find their treatment takes 3-5 years until complete.
Step 5: Return Visits
In three months, we will want to see your child for a follow-up so we can check on his progress.
We may want to retest him to see whether he is ready to have his dose adjusted to a higher strength. We will ask that he returns again in approximately six months after that, depending upon the severity of his allergies. You can call us to reorder drops during that time and Allergy Choices
will mail them directly to you at home.
We look forward to assisting your child with allergy symptom relief, but more importantly, improved
immune function.
Low Risk Vaccine Protocol:
Dr. Harum provides state mandated vaccines to children using lower risk techniques to reduce the possibility of adverse vaccine reaction. This protocol has been developed by Stephanie Cave, MD, in response to parental and scientific concerns for the ever increasing number of mandated vaccines coincident with increases in autism, asthma, juvenile diabetes, sudden infant death
syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, ADHD and learning disabilities. While there are no proven associations between the current vaccines and these devastating disorders, solid theories for their association abound.
For peace of mind, and improved proactive health care, we offer vaccines with no preservatives, at increased intervals, on a delayed schedule, in single valent form (when possible), with administration of potent antioxidants to reduce physiologic stress and assist with hepatic immaturity.
The adjusted vaccine schedule is as follows:
Hepatitis B - delayed to prior to school or day care entry
HIB - 4 months
IPV - 4.5 months
DTaP - 5 months
Alternate these 3 vaccines every 2 months
Varicella - delayed prior to school entry
Measles - 15 months (not delayed)
Rubella - delayed to 27 months
Mumps - delayed to 39 months
MMR boosters only if titers negative (check titers at pre-K entry and again at 12 years of age)
Check allergies to yeast, eggs and neomycin.
Pre-treat all ages before all vaccines with:
Cold pack / pressure to the site before and pressure after the injection
Fruit juice before the DTaP to maintain glucose levels
Vit A RDA:
1500 IU for infants and children up to 8 years of age (1 tsp NN Artic CLO)
2000 IU for ages 9-13 years of age (1 1/4 tsp CLO)
3000 IU for ages 14-18 years of age (2 tsp CLO)
Vit C RDA:
150 mg bid for infants
300 mg bid for all others
Pre-Adoption Developmental and Medical Screening:
Congratulations on your decision to provide a loving home for a precious child! This wonderful but difficult decision can be made with less worry and greater confidence by receiving a developmental screening of your chosen child.
To make your adoption decision with a higher level of confidence, your child’s medical and developmental history can be reviewed by an expert in the field of developmental medicine. A review of medical documentation can provide information regardinggrowth aberrations childhood metabolic disorders not routinely tested for outside of the US medical needs that require immediate attention upon placement in your home.
Video review is a powerful developmental assessment tool and can provide predictions regarding developmental delays and the need for supplemental therapies. A standard video review can provide information on
developmental status
movement patterns
language production
signs of autism, etc.
Foreign adoptee’s may or may not have received appropriate vaccinations. A careful evaluation of immunity to vaccine targeted diseases must be conducted before US mandated vaccines are given, or worse, repeated unnecessarily. Parasites are common throughout the world. Specific laboratory techniques are utilized to detect a variety of parasitic and bacterial pathogens.
Informed decisions make better decisions!
