Choosing A Health Practitioner for Your
Child
By Jane Sheppard
An important element in health and healing
is finding the right doctor or health practitioners.
You may decide to work with a holistic pediatrician
(MD) or you may also choose one or more alternative
therapies. In any case, you will need to find
the right practitioners to meet your unique
child’s needs.
Knowing a practitioner’s background and qualifications
is advised. In the alternative health care
arena you will usually find practitioners
in one of three categories.
Licensed
professionals - Includes holistic medical
doctor (MD), osteopath (DO), chiropractic
(DC), or acupuncturist (L.Ac.). Licensing
tells you that the person has undergone a
significant amount of training, which may
include an internship, and has passed a state
or national test. In the counseling field,
there are numerous masters level practitioners,
many of whom are interns working under licensed
supervisors. Keep in mind that credentials
can vary widely. State by state you may find
different licensing practices or standards.
Certified
practitioners – This is a more ambiguous
group, as a certification can mean anything
from 8 hours to 1,000 hours (or more) of training.
With each therapy you choose, it is essential
to inquire about the level of training and
education required for certification. Homeopaths,
massage therapists (CMT’s), hypnotherapists
(CHT’s), and numerous forms of bodyworkers
fall under this category.
Intuitive
or spiritual healers – These practitioners
may have no license or certification, but
have studied with their own teachers and follow
the guidance of their intuition, personal
gifts such as psychic ability, or other forms
of spiritual guidance they may be receiving.
Keep in mind that credentials (or lack of)
after someone’s name are not necessarily indications
of quality.
There are many great healers whose
type of therapy does not offer a license or
certification, yet have studied extensively
and are profoundly intuitive. There are also
many charlatans and “quacks” in this field
so you need to fully investigate by asking
about training, experience, and conducting
a complete interview.
Where
to Begin Your Search
How do you narrow the field and find a practitioner
that is right for your child? Begin by collecting
referrals to qualified practitioners in your
area. Ask your friends and other people you
trust if they know of a good practitioner.
You may get a referral from your medical doctor,
or other trusted health practitioner. Local
magazines and newspapers frequently have articles
written by respected health practitioners.
Professional associations (be aware that some
associations do not check their members’ qualifications),
support groups, and advocacy organizations
are good places to check. Reputable schools
of alternative therapies frequently hire experienced
and qualified practitioners as teachers. Training
programs may offer referrals to certified
and licensed providers in your area. You can
also find a child health professional through
the Holistic
Pediatric Association in the online Health
Professional Directory.
The state governing organizations that regulate
alternative therapies such as chiropractic
or acupuncture can confirm a practitioner’s
credentials, and even tell you if any complaints
or charges have been made.
What
to Ask Initially
Once you have your list of referrals, take
the time call the office of each one. Speak
to the practitioner’s staff and ask the following
questions to get some preliminary information:
1. What
types of treatment does the practitioner provide?
What is the theory/philosophy behind these
treatments? Can you refer me to some literature
so I can better understand the practitioner’s
work?
2. What
is the practitioner’s background? Where was
he or she trained? How long was his or her
training? Is the practitioner licensed or
certified?
3. How
long has the practitioner been in practice?
4. How
long does he or she work with the average
patient? Is it usually long-term or short-term
treatment?
5. What
is the practitioner’s availability (office
visits or phone)? Will there be a long wait
to schedule an appointment? Does he or she
have a pager? How easy is to get an emergency
appointment?
6. What
are the practitioner’s fees? Does he or she
offer a payment plan? Sliding scale? Will
you work with my insurance and do the necessary
paperwork?
The
Interview Process
The answers to the above questions can help
you narrow down your search to a few practitioners
that you and your child would like to personally
meet. Interviewing prospective practitioners
is an important aspect in choosing to whom
you will entrust your child’s health. It is
during an in-person consultation that you
can get a sense of who this person is and
how he or she will work with your child. You
may have to pay a fee for the practitioner’s
time, but it can be well worth it. If you
meet with several different prospective practitioners,
you may want to take notes or tape the interview
so you can keep the details straight.
During the interview, describe your child’s
health condition (if applicable). Be very
honest about your beliefs and talk about your
child’s unique experience of the condition.
Let the practitioner know what you expect
and what he or she can expect of you. The
following is a list of suggested questions
you may want to ask of the practitioner to
help you get to know more about how he or
she works. Listen carefully to the responses.
1. What
is your philosophical approach to healing?
2. How
do you integrate the physical, mental, emotional
and spiritual aspects of health into your
work?
3. Have
you worked with many children? How do you
help them to feel more comfortable?
4. Have
you worked with my child’s condition before
(if applicable)? What has been the outcome
in those cases? How long would you estimate
my child’s treatment would take? What would
be the likely changes?
5. Can
you approach my child’s care individually
and with an open mind, rather than with a
predetermined treatment plan?
6. Do
you keep copies of your notes regarding the
treatment and healing process, and can these
be sent to my other practitioners? Can I get
copies of my child’s records/notes/lab results?
7. Will
you explain to me what you are doing, notify
me of test results within a reasonable period
of time, and keep me informed of my child’s
condition?
8. Is
it appropriate for you to suggest names of
other patients or clients that I can contact
to ask about their experiences with your treatments?
9. Will
my child’s appointment time be honored or
will we have to wait?
If the practitioner is a holistic M.D., find
out how long he or she has been integrating
alternative therapies into the practice and
be certain you know about the doctor’s level
of training in each therapy offered.
If you are interviewing medical doctors that
do not offer alternative treatments, ask them
how they feel about your interest in alternative
medicine, and if they would be able to refer
your child to an alternative practitioner
as part of the overall treatment plan, if
the need arose. Let them know if your child
is already seeing an alternative practitioner.
If applicable, ask them how they feel about
your informed decision to not vaccinate your
child or to refuse certain vaccines. Or, if
you are not certain about whether or not you
want to have your child vaccinated, let them
know. Be honest about your beliefs and fears,
and note whether or not you feel supported
and respected by the doctor.
Observe the practitioner’s personality or
“bedside manner” and the feelings you have
about whether this person is right for your
child. Closely watch your child’s reactions
to the practitioner. Most children have a
strong intuitive sense about people they meet,
and may respond with either fear or openness.
After each interview, ask your child how he
or she felt about this person. If your child’s
response is negative, find out why. Pay attention
to your own feelings and gut instincts. Did
you feel comfortable and respected when you
called or visited the office? Were your questions
answered patiently to your satisfaction? Will
you be able to feel like a valued person working
as a partner with this practitioner?
Do you feel trust and confidence in
this person? Does he/she seem to care about
your child and show an interest in your family,
lifestyle and diet? Does this practitioner
honor your beliefs, opinions, anxieties and
fears? What is the state of this practitioner’s
health?
Does he or she appear to have a healthy
lifestyle or are there signs of overweight,
overwork, smoking or drinking? (You probably
want a practitioner who is just as committed
to good health as you are.)
The
Treatment Plan
Checking out background and credentials in
addition to the interview process should give
you enough data to choose who you want to
begin to work with. Once you have made a decision
you feel good about and your child begins
his or her treatment plan, be sure to be an
active participant in the process. Carefully
follow the recommendations agreed upon. Pay
close attention to any diet changes and instructions
on how and when to administer medications,
herbs, homeopathic remedies, or supplements.
Communicate your child’s needs and your concerns.
If you are combining several therapies, be
certain to tell all of your child’s practitioners,
including your primary care doctor (if applicable),
about all the treatments your child is receiving.
For instance, if your child is taking pharmaceutical
drugs, his or her homeopath, herbalist or
naturopath will need to know what these medications
are, and your pediatrician will need to know
what herbs and supplements your child is taking.
Certain herbs can interfere with drugs and
many drugs can inhibit the healing process.
Make sure you understand what the practitioner
is doing. If something is not clear, ask questions
until you are comfortable. Make choices based
on complete information. Continually monitor
and evaluate the treatments and track the
results.
Also remember to give whatever therapy you
choose a chance to work. The holistic approach
to healing can be subtle, and alternative
treatments usually work on a deeper level
than conventional drugs. It may take some
time before your child experiences a lasting
change of health.
In some instances, the condition may even
worsen before it gets better, as the body
brings the condition to the surface in its
effort to rid itself of it.
In summary, choosing a practitioner is based
on both intuition and intellect. There is
balance to be achieved in following your instincts
while being grounded in informed decision-making.
Moreover, forming active partnerships with
your child’s practitioners can greatly maximize
your child’s healing potential. Success comes
from an alliance between people who possess
mutual respect, honest communication and a
shared commitment to healing. You have every
right to select the practitioners who provide
you with a setting of comfort and trust.
Credentials and Qualifications
Holistic
Medical Doctors (MDs) - These are licensed
MDs who integrate various alternative therapies
with conventional medicine. To be truly holistic,
they should consider mind, emotions, and spirit
as well as the body when assessing and treating
patients. Many doctors who consider their
approach holistic are joining the Holistic
Pediatric Association, which has a searchable
online directory of member doctors. You may
be able to find one or several in your area
by searching this directory.
Homeopaths
- A homeopath who has taken the voluntary
exam given by the Council for Homeopathic
Certification and holds the CCH (Certified
in Classical Homeopathy) certificate has demonstrated
competence in classical homeopathy. Otherwise
you should ask about hours of training in
homeopathy, percent of their practice that
is homeopathic, and years in practice. You
can view a list of CCH holders at the website
http://www.homeopathy-council.org.
The Council for Homeopathic Certification
can be reached at 408 971-5915. In 47 states,
a license to practice medicine is all a medical
doctor needs in order to incorporate homeopathy
into his or her practice. It is important
to check the doctor’s level of training in
homeopathy. Some MDs have merely taken a short
course in homeopathy and are prescribing remedies
the same way they prescribe pharmaceuticals
– a one-remedy-fits-all protocol. A fully
trained homeopath will choose a remedy carefully
to match the unique symptoms of the individual
child. Each case is treated differently from
every other, and the character of the whole
person must be taken into account (the totality
of symptoms). Homeopaths who work with children
can be found in the Holistic
Pediatric Association online directory.
Naturopathic
Physicians - A licensed naturopathic
physician (ND) attends a four-year graduate
level naturopathic medical school and is educated
in all of the same basic sciences as an MD,
but also studies holistic and nontoxic approaches
to therapy with a strong emphasis on disease
prevention and optimizing wellness. In addition
to a standard medical curriculum, the naturopathic
physician is required to complete four years
of training in clinical nutrition, acupuncture,
homeopathic medicine, botanical medicine,
psychology, and counseling (to encourage people
to make lifestyle changes in support of their
personal health). A naturopathic physician
takes rigorous professional board exams so
that he or she may be licensed by a state
or jurisdiction as a primary care general
practice physician.
Naturopathic medicine is a licensed profession
in over 13 states in the U.S. When not licensed,
inquire about the level of training the naturopaths
have acquired. They may have all the training
mentioned above, but do not have a license
simply because their state does not license
naturopaths. Or they may have taken a correspondence
course in naturopathic medicine. For more
information, and to find a naturopathic physician
in your area, contact the American Association
of Naturopathic Physicians: http://www.naturopathic.org
or search the Holistic
Pediatric Association online directory.
Herbalists
- No specific degree or license is required
to advise about herbs. Currently the American
Herbalists Guild is the only association of
medical herbalists in the United States whose
professional members are determined by an
admissions review process to assure that a
relatively high level of competency, education,
and experience has been attained. American
Herbalists Guild members have specific continuing
education requirements and follow a code of
ethics. Professional American Herbalists Guild
members can be identified by the term “Herbalist
AHG” after their name (some herbalists simply
use “AHG” after their name). To find an herbalist
in your area, contact the American Herbalists
Guild: http://www.healthy.net/herbalists/Finding.htm
or search the Holistic
Pediatric Association online directory.
The National Institute of Medical Herbalists
is a highly respected professional herbalist
organization in the United Kingdom. Professional
members have graduated from a specific medical
herbalist training program and like the American
Herbalists Guild, there are specific requirements
for active membership. Members must follow
a code of ethics. These herbalists are some
of the most well trained Western herbalists
in the world. Professional herbalist members
of the Institute are identified by the acronym
“M.N.I.M.H.” after their name.
The Herb Research Foundation (HRF) is a nonprofit
research and education organization that provides
accurate information on the safe and appropriate
use of herbs. Website: http://www.herbs.org
Herb Research Foundation
1007 Pearl Street, Suite 200
Boulder, CO 80302
303) 449-2265 (Office)
(800) 748-2617 (VoiceMail)
(303) 449-7849 (FAX)
Traditional
Chinese Medicine - Traditional Chinese
medicine is a licensed profession in over
27 states. Licenses are issued under such
titles as Doctor of Oriental Medicine (DOM)
or Oriental Medical Doctor (OMD). Licensed
acupuncturists are typically identified by
the use of “L.Ac.” after their name. Licensing
usually requires graduation from a three-year
course of study and clinical experience. In
some states without licensing, anyone can
call themselves acupuncturists so check out
the individual’s training and clinical experience.
Currently there are more than 50 schools of
acupuncture that exist in the United States,
and several medical schools now include Acupuncture
courses. Pediatrics is a specialty of Chinese
medicine, so be sure your practitioner has
been trained appropriately in treating children.
To find a practitioner in your area, search
the Holistic
Pediatric Association online directory
or contact The American Association of Acupuncture
and Oriental Medicine (AAAOM). http://www.aaom.org
Chiropractors
- All states and Canadian provinces license
chiropractors. Some chiropractors belong to
the International Chiropractors Association’s
(ICA) pediatric council and take regular continuing
post-graduate courses in pediatrics. For more
information, and to find a pediatric chiropractor
in your area, search the Holistic
Pediatric Association online directory
or the directory of the International Chiropractic
Pediatric Association http://www.icpa4kids.com.
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Use
the information provided on this site as an
educational resource for determining your
options and making your own informed choices.
It is not intended as medical advice or to
diagnose, prescribe, or treat any specific
illness.