92: A Holistic Pediatrician Talks Ear Infections, Fevers, & Vaccines

Many of us dream of finding the perfect holistic pediatrician just a short drive from our homes. It’s not so easy, so today I bring one to you!

Elisa Song, MD, is a holistic pediatrician, pediatric functional medicine expert, and mom of two. In this episode, she tackles all the tough subjects for parents and explains when to bring down a fever and when not to, what to do about ear infections, and what she thinks about vaccines (it may surprise you).

A Holistic Pediatrician, At Your Service

Thankfully, it’s not often that we have to visit the doctor with a sick child over something life-threatening. More than likely we’re visiting our pediatricians over common childhood ailments like cold, cough, fever, flu, sore throats, or … the #1 reason kids go to the doctor … earaches.

In this one-on-one sit down with Dr. Song, I ask all the burning questions that keep us moms up at night (literally).

There is such a wealth of resources in this episode you might want to take notes! To help, I’ve listed most of the natural remedies Dr. Song talks about at the end of the show notes.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• why fevers in children are actually a good thing most of the time … and how to tell when they’re not
• the reason Dr. Song doesn’t recommend bringing down most fevers
• if febrile seizures are dangerous, and what to do if one happens
• when it is ok (and good) to be a couch potato
• the problem with Tylenol and why Dr. Song recommends ibuprofen instead
• the 3 atopic diseases of childhood—asthma, allergies, and eczema—and why they’re connected
• earaches: whether antibiotics are effective and what else you can use
• how to rehabilitate your child’s gut health after antibiotics
• the one culprit contributing to almost all chronic ear infections
• herbs that are proven more effective than antibiotics for ear infections
• why homeopathy isn’t quack medicine
• how to use essential oils safely for fevers, chills, colds, and other common kid ailments
• the acupressure point on the hand that helps with earaches
• the supplements Dr. Song recommends for all her patients for general health and immunity
• whether Vitamin D 25 hydroxy levels really need supplementation in children, and what levels to aim for
• one simple tip to stop your kids from getting a cold or illness (to try after school, parties, etc.)
• Dr. Song’s take on the flu shot and other ideas about fighting flu
• gut dysbiosis: what it is and why we should know about it
• Dr. Song’s “5-R” healing program for children with chronic health conditions
• why eczema and asthma may be autoimmune in nature
• the things that can trigger eczema or asthma and how to figure it out
• what to do internally and topically for eczema and skin problems
• how to do an elimination diet for your child

Resources We Mention:

Dr. Song’s Links

HealthyKidsHappyKids.com

Whole Family Wellness

Dr. Song’s (Incredibly Awesome!) List of Natural Remedies

General Health

Vitamin D drops (60-80 = ideal levels)
Fish oil or cod liver oil (3-6-9 blend for eczema)
Broad-spectrum probiotics
Nasal irrigation (Neti Pot or Xlear)
Sleep!

Fever

Belladonna
Stramonium

Ear Infections

Garlic ear drops
Ferrum phosphoricum, belladonna, and other homeopathics
Elderberry syrup
Peppermint essential oil
Lavender essential oil

Flu Season Immunity

Blog: Should My Kids Get the Flu Vaccine?
Oscillococcinum
Windbreaker (Chinese herbal formula)
Elderberry syrup
Umcka syrup
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Sleep
Hydration (bone broth, chamomile or lemon balm tea)
Warm, easy-to-digest food
Large intestine 11 acupressure point
Lavender EO (calming, sleep)
Peppermint EO (cooling for fever)
Cinnamon EO (shivers and chills)
Thyme EO (mucus and congestion)

Eczema/Itching, Asthma, or Allergies

Lactobacillus rhamnosus probiotic (check out Metagenics chewables)
Elimination diet / diet rotation
The “5-R” program for gut health
Quercetin
GLA
Zinc
Glutathione
Magnesium (epsom salt baths, magnesium body butter or oil)
Calendula topical ointment
Fish oil (3-6-9 blend)

What did you think of today’s episode? What would you ask a holistic pediatrician like Dr. Song?

Special Thanks to Today’s Sponsors

This episode is sponsored by Kettle and Fire Bone Broth. If you love the benefits of bone broth but don’t love the time it takes to make and how tough it can be to find quality bones to make it, Kettle and Fire is for you! Their bone broth is a regular staple in my kitchen these days, and it was what I used to create the recipes in my new bone broth e-book (releasing later this year).

So they use only bones from 100% grass-fed pasture raised cattle that are never given hormones and antibiotics. It’s also unique because they focus on bones that are especially high in collagen, which is one of the healthiest things you can put in your body. You can find them in many Whole Foods on the west coast and you can also order online at KettleAndFire.com/WellnessMama

This episode is also sponsored by Plant Therapy. There are so many options out there when it comes to essential oils and I’ve used a lot of them over the years. Now I most often turn to Plant Therapy because they have a large assortment of organic oils and a whole lot of kid-safe blends. (It doesn’t hurt that they also have really good prices!) Their oils have no additives or synthetic ingredients and they publish their testing results for all of their oils so you can verify the quality.

Their kid-safe blends are formulated by Robert Tisserand, who is largely considered one of the foremost experts in essential oil safety, so I feel I can trust him. If you want to check them out, right now they’re running some big sales that are changing daily. Go to wellnessmama.com/go/oils to get all the current discounts.