A recent comprehensive study led by University Hospitals Connor Whole Health has provided groundbreaking insights into the evolving field of pediatric integrative medicine, illuminating how this innovative care model can effectively address complex chronic health conditions in children. Operating within the UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, the program uniquely combines conventional pediatric medicine with complementary therapies such as lifestyle modification, nutritional supplementation, herbal medicine, cognitive behavioral strategies, and bodywork therapies. This hybrid care approach presents a transformative pathway to fill existing gaps in pediatric healthcare, especially for patients with multifaceted medical and emotional needs.
The contemporary pediatric health landscape is marked by an alarming rise in chronic diseases including obesity, diabetes, asthma, autoimmune disorders, and a surge in mental health challenges exacerbated by digital and social media influences. Despite these pressing issues, traditional healthcare often falls short in providing holistic and multidisciplinary interventions tailored to pediatric populations. Pediatric integrative medicine emerges as a promising paradigm, yet detailed data on its implementation, patient demographics, and therapeutic outcomes remain scarce. The UH Connor Whole Health Pediatrics Program (UH CWHP), established in 2020, pioneers a physician-led, integrative framework aimed at delivering broad-spectrum care to meet these complex needs.
This retrospective analysis encompassed 2,677 outpatient visits from 657 pediatric patients over a period extending from March 2020 through September 2023. The study population exhibited a predominance of conditions such as anxiety (59.2%), fatigue (44.4%), headaches (43.1%), abdominal pain (33.6%), constipation (33.0%), and long-COVID sequelae (24.7%). The integrative treatment regimen incorporated a variety of modalities tailored to individual patient profiles, with interventions including dietary adjustments (61.8%), promotion of self-care techniques (33.8%), massage therapy (21.0%), and acupuncture (19.2%). Supplement use was strategically directed, with probiotics (49.9%), vitamin D (42.6%), multivitamins (41.9%), and fish oil (39.4%) being the most frequently recommended.
A salient finding of the investigation was the preference among anxious pediatric patients for non-pharmacologic interventions. Many patients welcomed learning cognitive coping mechanisms such as reframing negative thoughts, controlled breathing practices, and alterations to eating habits, alongside managing internal dialogues that influence mental health. The integrative approach notably incorporated Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), with nearly one-third of patients receiving Chinese herbal therapies tailored to their specific symptoms. Anxiety symptoms connected to long-COVID often necessitated supplementary pharmacotherapies, including antihistamines, highlighting the program’s capacity to seamlessly blend conventional and complementary modalities.
Fatigue, particularly in the context of long-COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), posed a therapeutic challenge that the program addressed through practical pacing strategies and pharmacologic intervention using low-dose naltrexone. These strategies emphasize energy conservation and immune modulation, providing an evidence-informed framework to support functional restoration in affected pediatric patients.
Nutritional interventions stressed feasible, family-oriented adjustments focused on enhancing intake of nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods. Probiotic therapies were prescribed to subsets of patients exhibiting dysbiosis — an imbalance of gut microbiota often linked to prior antibiotic exposure or dietary factors. Remarkably, vitamin D deficiency was detected in approximately 30% of the patient cohort, prompting targeted supplementation as part of an evidence-based metabolic restoration protocol. Seasonal mood disturbances were countered with non-drug modalities like light therapy, expanding the therapeutic repertoire available for pediatric mental health concerns.
The study also shed light on the frequent under-recognition of myofascial pain syndromes prior to integrative consultations. Patients benefitted from instruction in self-care techniques aimed at alleviating musculoskeletal discomfort, thus reducing dependence on analgesics. Gua Sha, an ancient TCM technique involving skin scraping to improve circulation and mitigate pain, was actively taught and encouraged as a home-based management tool, reflecting the program’s commitment to empowering patients through traditional yet clinically validated methods.
Sleep disturbances and insomnia emerged as prevalent issues, exacerbated by environmental and behavioral contributors such as excessive screen time and irregular bedtime routines. Interventions were multipronged, incorporating sleep hygiene education, referrals to sleep medicine specialists, melatonin supplementation, and Chinese herbal formulations addressing underlying factors like iron deficiency. This holistic approach underscored the integrative medicine model’s ability to address complex sleep pathologies beyond conventional pharmaceuticals alone.
David W. Miller, MD, FAAP, L.Ac., Dipl. OM, the study’s principal investigator and Medical Director of Pediatric Integrative Medicine at University Hospitals, emphasized the indispensable role that pediatric integrative medicine serves within contemporary health systems. He noted that the model not only offers nonpharmacologic methods for pain and emotional regulation but also provides a medical “home” for complex patient populations, such as those suffering from long-COVID and ME/CFS, who often face fragmented or inadequate care through conventional channels. Integration of herbal medicine framed within rigorous clinical guidance is crucial for ensuring patient safety and efficacy, especially amid abundant and sometimes misleading information accessible online.
Kristi Artz, MD, MS, FACLM, CCMS, Vice President of UH Connor Whole Health and Sara H. Connor Chair in Integrative Health, highlighted the value of the whole health model for guiding clinicians toward understanding patient priorities and implementing diverse lifestyle and integrative strategies. This comprehensive framework enhances care quality, patient satisfaction, and clinical outcomes by aligning treatments with what matters most to pediatric patients and their families.
Currently, UH Connor Whole Health is advancing their research by implementing patient-reported outcome measures across clinics, aiming to quantitatively delineate the benefits and health impacts of pediatric integrative medicine interventions. This initiative promises to refine clinical practice models and inform the broader pediatric healthcare community regarding integrative medicine’s role in chronic disease management.
This transformative study, titled “CHARacterizing Pediatric Integrative Medicine within a Large Academic Medical Center (CHARM),” is published in the journal Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health. It marks a significant milestone in pediatric research, broadening scientific understanding of how integrative therapies can be systematically deployed within an academic medical environment to enhance pediatric healthcare delivery for complex and chronic conditions.
Supported by the Elisabeth Severance Prentiss Foundation, the investigation reinforces the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, evidence-based complementary therapies, and patient-centered care in pediatric medicine. By addressing the multifactorial aspects of health encompassing physical, emotional, and social determinants, pediatric integrative medicine at University Hospitals paves a promising path forward in pediatric healthcare innovation.
Subject of Research: Pediatric Integrative Medicine, Chronic Pediatric Conditions, Complementary Therapies, Pediatric Healthcare Innovation
Article Title: CHARacterizing Pediatric Integrative Medicine within a Large Academic Medical Center (CHARM)
News Publication Date: Not explicitly stated; study covers March 2020 – September 2023
Web References:
- University Hospitals Connor Whole Health
- UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital
- Pediatric Integrative Health Services
- David W. Miller Profile
- Kristi Artz Profile
- Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health Journal
Image Credits: University Hospitals
Keywords: Pediatrics, Integrative Medicine, Chronic Pediatric Illness, Complementary Therapies, Pediatric Mental Health, Nutritional Interventions, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Long-COVID, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Pain Management, Pediatric Sleep Disorders, Patient-Centered Care
