Many years ago, I wrote a guest blog for a colleague that went viral. In it, I described my clinical experience with a popular specialized diet designed to heal the gut. I was a Weston A. Price chapter lead at the time and worked with many people in that community who were all following this particular diet at the time. Very few of them were making any kind of progress and some had been trying to “heal themselves” with this diet plan for years without any improvement.
While I have great respect for all worthwhile nutritional approaches, I know there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to healing the digestive tract. There are just too many variables and possibilities of where things can go awry. For example, two people might experience the same symptoms of constipation and bloating but the driving force behind those symptoms are likely entirely different. One may have a sluggish gallbladder and the other might have a fungal overgrowth. Each of these issues can cause constipation, yet these issues require entirely different clinical approaches.
After much consideration, I wrote this blog, detailing why, in my humble opinion, taking an individualized approach, with testing, was far better than a generic diet. My colleague posted this blog to her list of 10,000+ followers and my world changed overnight.
Over the course of the next week, I received over 200 inquiries. Over the course of the next year, I could barely keep up with the demand generated by my post. That was nine years ago and people are still finding me through that blog. Truth resonates.
What surprised me the most were the number of frantic moms who reached out, wanting me to work with their child. Some of these children had severe eczema, some were colicky babies, and others were failing to thrive. None of them were getting better on the generic diet. They were suffering and the poor mamas had nowhere to turn. Conventional doctors had no answers, even drastic dietary changes didn’t help, and they were at their wits end trying to figure it out on their own.
Thus began my intense deep dive into gut healing within the pediatric population.
Working with little ones is so much more difficult that working with an adult who can provide information about their history, tell you what they are experiencing, and give you feedback. Not so with toddlers and babies. When they don’t feel good, they aren’t able to articulate what’s going on; they just get fussy. And that’s hard on everyone.
One of the biggest discoveries I made was while working with a lactating mom of a 5-month-old baby girl who was covered head-to-toe with eczema. The mom had significant digestive issues (guess where it always starts with their offspring?) and I’d done a stool test and food sensitivity test. She’d sent me a picture of her baby and I was haunted by it. That poor baby girl was red all over, inflamed, and miserable. We agreed that once we got mom in good digestive shape, I would start working with her infant.
Mom had multiple issues that ranged from an inability to digest her protein to a parasite. She was also eating many foods – entirely healthy foods on the surface – to which she was having an inflammatory reaction. We started a supplement protocol, targeting the findings on her stool test, and she removed those inflammatory foods from her diet. A month later, we met and she was feeling so much better. I randomly asked about her baby and was shocked when she told me the baby’s eczema was completely gone. Now, I hadn’t done a thing to directly support that little one but by addressing mama’s gut issues, and since she was exclusively breastfeeding, we cleaned up the baby’s issues as well.
How powerful is that? When you think about it, it’s perfectly logical. Gut issues in children are set up by mom’s gut issues and get passed on via the placenta and through breast milk. Once a child starts eating solid foods, however, they begin to establish their own unique gut issues and food sensitivities.
While the work is more challenging, there is nothing more gratifying than helping a child increase nutrient absorption and gain much-needed weight. Or being able to identify the source of a child’s chronic constipation, which was tied to behavioral issues wreaking havoc in the family. Or helping a child diagnosed with autism be able to connect with the outer world. Or having an asthmatic child no longer requires the use of a steroid inhaler.
Helping children get to the bottom of their digestive issues sets them up for a better life; a healthier, more successful existence. It gives parents peace of mind and creates more harmony at home. And as a practitioner, you are completely filled up by doing profoundly meaningful work.
Do you want to learn how to work with children and adults and get these types of results? Join us for the next Level One: Mastering the Art and Science of Gastrointestinal Healing. Class starts April 6th and the application process is now open.
We need more nutrition professionals making a difference in their communities. Come learn with us!
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FAQ
These frequently asked questions expand on the key concepts in this article and provide additional clinical context for practitioners working with digestive health across the lifespan.
Why is an individualized approach important when addressing digestive health?
An individualized approach is important because similar digestive symptoms can have very different underlying causes. Two people may both experience constipation and bloating, yet one may have a sluggish gallbladder while another has a fungal overgrowth. Identifying the underlying driver helps guide an appropriate clinical approach rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all solution.
Why may a single therapeutic diet not work for everyone with digestive symptoms?
No single dietary approach addresses every cause of digestive dysfunction. While specialized diets may be helpful for some individuals, digestive symptoms can arise from many different physiological factors that require different interventions. Clinical assessment is necessary to determine the most appropriate strategy.
Why is testing valuable when evaluating digestive complaints?
Testing can help identify the factors contributing to digestive dysfunction rather than relying solely on symptoms. In the author’s clinical experience, individualized testing provided more useful guidance than applying a generic dietary protocol because it helped uncover each person’s unique clinical picture.
Can the same digestive symptoms have different root causes?
Yes. Digestive symptoms such as constipation and bloating do not point to a single diagnosis. For example:
- One person may have impaired gallbladder function.
- Another may have a fungal overgrowth.
Although symptoms appear similar, the clinical approach differs based on the underlying cause.
Why can working with infants and young children be more clinically challenging?
Working with infants and young children is often more challenging because they cannot describe their symptoms or health history. Practitioners must rely on caregiver observations, clinical history, and appropriate assessment to understand what may be contributing to digestive dysfunction.
How can a mother’s digestive health influence a breastfeeding infant?
According to the author’s clinical experience, addressing a breastfeeding mother’s digestive health may positively influence her infant’s health. In the case described, improving the mother’s digestive function and removing foods that triggered inflammatory reactions coincided with complete resolution of her infant’s eczema while the infant remained exclusively breastfed.
How may maternal gut health influence a child’s digestive health early in life?
The article suggests that maternal digestive health may influence a child’s early gut health through pregnancy and breastfeeding. According to the author, gut-related issues can be passed from mother to child through the placenta and breast milk before infants begin developing their own digestive patterns after introducing solid foods.
When do children begin developing their own digestive patterns and food sensitivities?
According to the article, children begin establishing their own unique digestive issues and food sensitivities after they start eating solid foods. This represents a shift from primarily maternal influences toward the child’s own developing gastrointestinal environment.
What types of pediatric concerns may have digestive health connections?
The article describes several clinical situations in which digestive health was associated with broader pediatric concerns. Examples include:
- Chronic constipation
- Poor weight gain
- Eczema
- Behavioral challenges associated with constipation
- Autism-related concerns
- Asthma requiring steroid inhaler use
These examples reflect the author’s clinical experience and highlight the importance of investigating digestive health as part of a comprehensive assessment.
How can improving digestive function support nutrient absorption in children?
The article describes improved nutrient absorption as one potential benefit of addressing digestive dysfunction. According to the author’s clinical experience, helping children improve digestive function may support healthy weight gain when poor nutrient absorption has been contributing to growth challenges.
Why is identifying the root cause of pediatric constipation important?
Identifying the underlying cause of constipation is important because the symptom itself does not explain why it is occurring. The author notes that chronic constipation may also contribute to behavioral challenges within families, making accurate identification of the underlying issue clinically meaningful.
What is the broader goal of addressing digestive health in children?
The broader goal is to support long-term health and quality of life by addressing underlying digestive dysfunction. The author describes benefits that may include improved health outcomes for children, greater peace of mind for parents, and more meaningful clinical outcomes for practitioners.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anne Fischer Silva’s journey in the field of functional nutrition over the last 23 years began in a functional medicine practice, where she learned the power of objective testing. From there she opened her own business, A New Leaf Nutrition, where she built a wait-list distance practice. Anne has taught nutrition courses in Washington, Hawaii, and California, and hosted a radio show, “Health-Wise”, for 3 years. She helped develop the original curriculum for the Nutritional Therapy Association, was a lead instructor with NTA for 8 years, and she continues to lecture nationally on a variety of health topics. Anne founded the Institute of Restorative Health in 2013 with the sole purpose of training other nutrition professionals how to address complex issues with their clients and achieve the same stellar results she gets in her practice.
The core principles Anne built the Institute of Restorative Health upon are the importance of nutrient-dense foods and balancing biochemistry. From there, she looks for the deeper underlying issues by utilizing a variety of testing techniques and customized healing methods to restore optimal function and health.
Anne received her certification in functional nutrition from Advanced Integrated Medical Institute in Washington, DC in 2000 and she is a Master Restorative Health Practitioner and Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner.
*In 2022, Anne decided to pursue new and different aspects of holistic wellness and left the Institute of Restorative Health in the hands of her dear friend and business partner, Margaret Floyd Barry.
