Services at the Clinic

We offer routine primary care for pediatric patients, including developmental testing, well checks and exams, treatment of common colds, minor illnesses and minor injuries, allergies and sensitivities, environmental toxins, intestinal dysfunction, immunizations, and common behavioral concerns. Clinic for Special Children offers a full array of services to help your child attain and maintain good health. Integrative General Pediatric Care On-call physician access Unrushed office visits Same-day sick appointments when available Routine well-child examinations, preteen and teen examinations, school and sports physicals Care management Routine childhood vaccinations with full informed consent Consultations for chronic illness Coordination of hospital and specialist care Nutritional counseling for kids and their parents Nutraceutical therapy Nutrition, lactation, and sleep coaching

Diagnostic testing will be conducted on your child before therapeutic treatments are recommended. A unique therapeutic regimen is tailored to each child’s individual history, physical examination, and laboratory profile. Testing: Following a thorough history, physical and neurological examination, 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 potential allergens) SNP panels for epigenetic risk determination Functional Medical Genomics Amino acid testing and organic acid testing Metabolic testing Assessments of immune competency or dysfunction Neuropsychological assessments Neurophysiologic tests when appropriate Environmental toxicity Treatments: Once initial testing is completed, the Provider will discuss possible courses of treatment tailored to the specific needs of your child, incorporating integrative medicine approaches when appropriate. Infusions are often recommended. To learn more about infusions, see the drop down box "Stem Cells" under services.

We offer primary care for special needs pediatric patients, including developmental testing, complex medical problems, complex neurodevelopmental problems, complex behavioral problems, special needs specific well checks and exams, treatment of common colds, minor illnesses and minor injuries, allergies and sensitivities, rashes, constipation environmental toxins, intestinal dysfunction, and immunizations. Special needs diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment include but are not limited to, children with autism, encephalopathic regression into autism, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, Fragile X, ADHD, ADD, feeding disorders, expressive language disorders and vitamin deficiencies. Our Approach We recognize your child as a complex and unique person. We believe our job is to go beyond treating your child’s health. We treat the whole child. We approach your child's health holistically; paying attention not only to their medical history but also their nutritional status, mental development, biological and genetic individuality, and emotions. A team approach is used to provide coordinated services and care. What that means for your child is an overall better experience and healthcare that is mindful of wellness, attitude, and continued growth even after you leave our office. Clinic for Special Children offers a full array of services to help your child attain and maintain good health. Integrative General Pediatric Care On-call physician access Unrushed office visits Mid-day, same-day sick appointments Telehealth Appointments Routine well-child examinations, preteen and teen examinations, school and sports physicals Care management Routine childhood vaccinations with full informed consent Consultations for chronic illness Coordination of hospital and specialist care Nutritional counseling for kids and their parents Nutraceutical therapy Nutrition, lactation, and sleep coaching

We are equipped to complete a developmental assessment of your child. These evaluations include assessments of intelligence, academic skills, emotional and social development, standardized autism assessments, language skills, adaptive skills, fine and gross motor skills. Computerized assessments of attention, memory, and executive function are also used. Standardized assessment tools are used whenever possible. Diagnostic clarity is the key to establishing the best therapeutic program. Using a variety of tools, we offer basic medical testing, developmental, psychological, metabolic, neurologic, and genetic evaluations based on your child's symptoms and needs. Basic medical laboratory testing may include all routine labs accessible through a commercial laboratory; assessment of inflammation, allergies, organ function, metabolism, EKG, bedside ultrasound screening, and thermography screening. Metabolic evaluations may include interpretation of quantitative organic acids, toxic profiles, nutrient profiles, intestinal microbiome profiles, assessment of methylation capacity, and Mitoswab™, a functional assay of mitochondrial function. Developmental evaluations may include administration of a variety of questionnaires, Capute Scales, Screening Test for Autism in Toddlers and Young Children (STAT™), Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS™-2), Psychoeducational Profile (PEP-3), and the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC). Psychological evaluations may include the Woodcock Johnson (WJIII) for screening purposes, assessments for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria, ADOS™-2, Integrated Visual and Auditory Assessment for ADHD (IVA-Plus) continuous performance test, NIH Toolbox, and Brain Gauge performance test. Neurologic evaluations may include Quantitative electroencephalograpy (QEEG), Brain Gauge, otoacustice emissions, visual evoked potentials, and tests of balance. Genetic evaluations may include collected specimens for chromosomal microarry, Fragile X, whole exome sequencing, whole genome sequencing, and targeted gene arrays for a variety of conditions. Functional genomic analysis is possible using the new FGA™ platform for functional medical providers only.

We provide fully individualized nutritional, lactation, and sleep coaching for the safe, ideal holistic care of your child. Nutritional coaching, following a nutritional assessment, may include guidance on a specialty diet that may be of benefit to your child, based on lab results. These might include good sources of nutrients to supplement when your child is deficient. The coaching may also include tips and techniques on how best to get your child to broaden their diet and/or how to "hide" important non-preferred foods in non-traditional forms, which your child might find more acceptable. Lactation coaching may include assisting new mothers in preventing and solving breastfeeding challenges such as sore nipples, low milk supply, and babies who have difficulty latching. Sleep coaching, following a sleep assessment, may include tips and techniques to prepare your child's environment and body for sleep as well as sleep hygiene techniques. Nutritional support is necessary for kids with neurodevelopmental disorders. Why is this true? The main reason is that we just don’t get what we need in the standard American diet. We are also bombarded with more chemicals, toxins, hormone-mimicking substances, medications, and artificial compounds than at any time in human history. Our bodies need the ability to deal with these novel substances. If we’re not inherently endowed with those abilities, we need nutraceutical help to deal with those substances that cannot be avoided. There are solutions, because we believe in the innate power of the body, including the brain, to heal itself, to grow and develop according to a miraculous plan. Providing the appropriate substrates for this process just makes scientific sense. We can promote a more balanced neurochemistry with specific amino acids and supplements, either as an add-on to medication or instead of medication.

While attention deficit disorder (ADD) has certainly gotten a lot of acknowledgment over the last decade or so, it’s also lead more and more parents to believe that their child’s occasional outbursts, hyperactivity or defiance could be due to ADD, when in actuality this isn’t always the case. Children with this neurobehavioral disorder are unable to focus their attention on any one task. Their brain is constantly telling them to do multiple things at once, which leads to this inability to concentrate. Because of this, this inability to pay attention often results in disruptive and impulsive behaviors. Some of the first signs that a child has ADD will be the inability to follow directions, often forgetting or misplacing homework and other items, the inability to sit still (children with ADD are often fidgety), and difficulty listening or focusing on conversations. Children with ADD won’t just display these behaviors in certain circumstances but in all circumstances. Regardless of whether they are at school, at home or with the babysitter, these same behavioral issues will persist in all facets of your child’s life. Fortunately, our pediatricians are trained to be able to detect these common symptoms and warning signs of ADD in children. By evaluating other factors such as possible learning disabilities or developmental disorders that could also cause similar symptoms we will be able to determine if your child is truly dealing with ADD. If your child has been diagnosed with ADD by a pediatrician, it’s important to know that their behavioral symptoms can be managed with medications. While there is no cure, we can help create an individualized treatment plan that will lessen their symptoms and improve their home and school life. Children are often prescribed a stimulant like Ritalin, which will help increase focus and attention while slowing down impulsivity. Of course, ADD isn’t just treated with medication alone. Your child will also benefit from certain behavioral therapies, which will help to alter and improve their behaviors and how they function in everyday settings.

Intravenous nutritional infusions of brain-building nutrients and anti-inflammatory drugs which can provide relief of symptoms from various medical conditions. IV hydration works to prevent dehydration in medically fragile patients. IV nutrition therapy is the intravenous delivery of nutrients to a patient. Using an IV line inserted directly into a patient’s vein, doctors administer a customized mixture of vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients. Research shows that by receiving vital nutrients, the body is able to initiate improved immune function, correct deficiencies and maintain proper metabolic processes for homeostasis. Put simply, IV nutrition therapy restores what the body needs to heal itself and keep it running smoothly and efficiently.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a growing mental health condition in America today, characterized by social interaction and communication deficiencies as well as repetitive behaviors in patients. Still, that doesn't mean all patients with ASD have symptoms indicative of deficiencies, as many ASD patients far exceed their peers in visualization ability, music intelligence, and math and art understanding. At Clinic For Special Children, patients with autism are treated with gentle care gained through a strong understanding of the factors often behind the variable brain disorder. With a ten-fold increase in cases within the past 40 years in the United States alone, a better understanding of where these social irregularities come from has played a vital role in advancing autism treatment. Autism is between four to five times more likely to occur in boys than girls, though both sexes with the disorder are often stigmatized by their peers, their classmates, and even their families. This makes it all the more important to seek compassionate and caring healthcare providers, such as those at Clinic for Special Children! What Causes ASD/Autism? Research has consistently found that autism is largely genetic, though outside environmental factors may also play a role. Differences have also been in found in the brains of autistic children compared to those without autism. In essence, autism is a complex disorder, the causes of which are not fully understood and are still being researched. Understanding Someone With Autism Autism symptoms manifest themselves in different ways in different people. While some autistic patients do have intellectual disabilities, many autistic patients have average or above-average intelligence, including the presence of autistic savants. Other autism patients struggle to communicate verbally, though they can learn to communicate non-verbally with patience and help from the experts like those at Clinic For Special Children. Accepting, respecting, and supporting autistic patients can go a long way in helping them live a long and healthy life.