The total length of the program is four months.

Unfortunately, mainstream medicine has not caught up to the importance of functional medicine and do not cover these services. Again, this is why I only test what I feel is necessary to uncover the cause of symptoms. We discuss the cost breakdown during the initial call.

No! During the discovery call, we discuss the child’s symptoms and determine if this program is appropriate. Many children (and adults) have symptoms of disease without an official diagnosis that can be addressed and managed through functional labs and integrative medicine.

No, they are not required to participate but it is very much encouraged! If age appropriate, I like to discuss with the child who I am and what we will be focusing on in the coming months. As a mom of three young girls, I know that kids are SMART! They are more inclined to participate if they have intrinsic motivation (i.e., “If I eat this, I will run faster!”)

No, it is not required to repeat labs. I allow the parents/guardian to make the decision as they go through the program. Some like the objective data to compare and decide to repeat testing, which is an additional charge. Others feel more comfortable going off of symptom improvement. Everyone is in a different financial situation and therefore, I only run what I feel is necessary and allow any additional costs to be decided by the parents/guardians.

The idea of littleRoot is to make it as easy as possible for parents/guardians to incorporate the steps needed to discover and manage the child’s symptoms.

The lab kit is mailed directly to your front door. Only hair and urine are required for the most commonly ordered labs. No blood draws! Steps on collection are included in the kit and shipping costs are covered. If we determine that more extensive labs (that may include blood work) are appropriate, it is a decision that YOU make during our call.

We go into more detail during the initial call, but in a nutshell, the #1 expectation is consistency. There will be dietary modifications based on the child that must be followed throughout the duration of the program. Food is medicine- there is no amount of supplements or medications that can replace a diet that is feeding the disease. We will be with you every step of the way, but you are ultimately in charge of implementing the plan we create! You will be supported with ways to effectively communicate the “why” to the child when met with resistance.

Children and adolescents suffering from behavioral disorders such as ASD, ADHD, and anxiety need to address root cause of symptoms for any hope of long term reduction or elimination of symptoms. Far too often, I hear (and see) symptoms treated with pharmaceuticals and very little attention spent on root cause and lifestyle modifications. In addition, conventional labs are typically from blood. While there is a lot we can identify and manage through blood work, there are many biomarkers that are more accurately measured through other means, such as hair and urine.

The standard labs run through littleRoot ONLY require hair and urine. Based on results, we can determine vitamin and mineral levels, oxidative stress, neurotransmitter levels, heavy metal exposure, environmental toxins and pollutants, etc.