Paediatric naturopathy is naturopathic care tailored to children and adolescents.
I consider your child's health history, nutrition, digestion, sleep, immune function, development and other relevant factors to understand their individual needs.
My focus is on providing thoughtful, evidence-informed complementary care rather than following a standard protocol based on a diagnosis.
I have a particular clinical interest in children with:
- ADHD
- Autism
- PANS/PANDAS
- Global developmental delay
- Learning difficulties
- Anxiety and emotional regulation concerns
- Digestive and bowel difficulties
- Restricted eating and nutritional concerns
- Sleep and immune health concerns.
I assess each child's individual health needs rather than assuming children with the same diagnosis require the same support.
Children with ADHD may also experience concerns involving sleep, digestion, nutrition or emotional wellbeing.
I assess these concerns individually and consider appropriate nutritional and lifestyle support.
Naturopathy does not cure ADHD or replace established medical, psychological or educational support.
Yes.
I work with autistic children who may also experience constipation, restricted eating, digestive discomfort, sleep difficulties or nutritional concerns.
My recommendations consider sensory preferences, food acceptance, routines and individual needs.
The focus is on supporting relevant aspects of your child's health, not changing their autism.
PANS and PANDAS describe particular presentations involving sudden-onset neuropsychiatric symptoms.
These presentations require careful medical assessment, including consideration of other possible explanations.
I have a clinical interest in PANS/PANDAS and can consider relevant nutritional, digestive and broader health concerns alongside appropriate medical care.
If your child experiences sudden or significant changes in behaviour or functioning, prompt medical assessment is important.
Yes.
Children with developmental delay or learning difficulties may also experience digestive, nutritional, sleep or other health concerns.
I consider these individually and work alongside the professionals involved in your child's developmental and medical care.
A diagnosis can provide valuable information, but it doesn't necessarily explain every health concern your child experiences.
For example, constipation, poor sleep, nutritional deficiencies or digestive discomfort may require attention regardless of a neurodevelopmental diagnosis.
I consider whether there are additional health concerns worth assessing, without assuming they explain the diagnosis itself.
The gut communicates with the brain and immune system through complex biological pathways.
Researchers are continuing to investigate these relationships.
However, it's important not to assume that digestive problems explain behavioural or developmental differences.
I assess gut health when there are relevant symptoms or clinical reasons to investigate.
Each child has an individual health history and different factors that may influence their wellbeing.
Depending on the presentation, I may consider nutritional status, genetic information, metabolic health, environmental exposures and other relevant areas.
That doesn't mean every child needs genetic testing or an environmental investigation.
The question is whether considering these factors could meaningfully inform their care.
There isn't one answer that applies to every child.
Changes may relate to developmental, psychological, medical, environmental or other factors.
A significant change deserves careful assessment rather than an assumption that it is simply part of an existing diagnosis.
Sudden changes, regression or deterioration in functioning should be discussed promptly with an appropriate medical professional.
Yes.
I respect the roles of GPs, paediatricians, psychologists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists and other healthcare professionals.
Where relevant, I review existing reports and investigations.
My aim is to complement appropriate care, not replace it.
Alongside your care team, never instead of it.
We begin with a comprehensive review of your child's health.
Depending on their needs, this may include pregnancy and birth history, development, digestion, nutrition, sleep, immune health, allergies, medications, supplements, environment, family history and previous investigations.
We then identify the areas that deserve attention and establish practical priorities.
An Initial Comprehensive Paediatric Consultation costs $200.
This includes a thorough assessment of your child's health history and consideration of an individualised naturopathic approach.
Additional testing or supplements, where appropriate, are separate costs.
Follow-Up Consultations cost $170.
These appointments allow us to review changes, discuss treatment responses, assess new information and adjust recommendations.
Bring any relevant pathology, specialist reports, previous testing and a list of current medications or supplements.
It can also help to note your main concerns and any changes you've noticed.
You don't need to organise everything perfectly beforehand.
Yes.
Recommendations depend on your child's history, symptoms, age, nutritional needs and individual circumstances.
They may include dietary or nutritional strategies, appropriate supplementation, herbal medicine where suitable, sleep and lifestyle support or further investigation.
The plan is prioritised and adjusted according to your child's needs.
No.
I prefer to introduce recommendations progressively where appropriate.
This allows us to assess tolerance, observe responses and avoid unnecessarily complicated plans.
Clear priorities are more useful than twenty things to do at once.
You're not alone.
Some families arrive having tried several approaches without knowing which, if any, have been helpful.
I review what's already been tried, consider the reasoning behind it and identify what may still be relevant.
I don't assume that adding more supplements or restrictions is the answer.
No.
Functional testing is considered selectively when it may provide useful additional information.
Before recommending testing, I review your child's symptoms, history and existing investigations.
I also consider whether the result is likely to change our next steps.
Depending on the presentation, testing may relate to:
- Gut microbiome composition
- Digestive function
- Intestinal inflammation
- Nutritional status
- Genetics
- Metabolic pathways
- Environmental exposures.
- Different tests have different levels of clinical validity and usefulness. I explain their purpose and limitations before recommending them.
It's a fair question.
Before considering additional testing, I ask what we're trying to understand, whether existing investigations already provide useful information and how the result could influence care.
If a test is unlikely to help us make a meaningful decision, it may not be worthwhile.
Not necessarily.
Testing can sometimes provide additional information, but complex presentations rarely have one simple explanation.
Results need to be interpreted alongside your child's history, symptoms and other investigations.
I won't promise that one test will provide every answer.
Not automatically.
I consider nutritional adequacy, food acceptance, sensory preferences and family circumstances before recommending dietary changes.
For children with restricted eating, unnecessary exclusions may create additional nutritional or practical difficulties.
Recommendations need to be appropriate for the individual child.
Yes. Children's digestive health is an important area of my practice.
I may assess bowel habits, dietary intake, hydration, relevant symptoms, medications and previous investigations.
Persistent or concerning digestive symptoms may also require medical assessment.
That's important information.
A recommendation isn't useful if your child cannot tolerate it or your family cannot realistically implement it.
I consider sensory preferences, accepted foods, routines and parental capacity when developing a plan.
We may need to adapt recommendations or prioritise other areas first.
I consider what everyday life looks like.
School mornings, appointments, sensory needs, family routines and the demands on parents all matter.
The aim is to develop manageable recommendations rather than adding unnecessary pressure.
Read more about my approach
Yes.
Although paediatric health is my main focus, I also work with women experiencing concerns involving digestion, metabolic health, healthy weight management, fatigue, stress, nutritional status and broader wellbeing.
My approach remains individualised and evidence-informed.
I can assess relevant aspects of your health history, nutrition, digestion, lifestyle and previous investigations.
Bloating, irregular bowel habits and fatigue can have many possible explanations, so medical assessment may also be appropriate.
I focus on understanding your individual presentation rather than assuming every symptom has the same cause.
It's a fair question.
Before considering additional testing, I ask what we're trying to understand, whether existing investigations already provide useful information and how the result could influence care.
If a test is unlikely to help us make a meaningful decision, it may not be worthwhile.
Not necessarily.
Testing can sometimes provide additional information, but complex presentations rarely have one simple explanation.
Results need to be interpreted alongside your child's history, symptoms and other investigations.
I won't promise that one test will provide every answer.
My approach may suit families who want a thorough assessment of their child's broader health concerns, particularly where several issues are occurring together.
I value careful investigation, practical recommendations, education and collaboration with existing healthcare professionals.
If you're unsure whether your child's needs fall within my scope, you're welcome to enquire.
My journey into naturopathy began through my own experiences as a mother navigating my children's health and development.
I understand how difficult it can be to manage appointments, conflicting information and unanswered questions.
That experience, together with my clinical training, shapes the way I work.
I listen carefully, consider relevant contributing factors and explain the reasoning behind recommendations.
I don't believe in unnecessary testing, complicated protocols or promising certainty where it doesn't exist.
I want families to leave feeling heard, informed and clearer about what happens next.
You may be concerned about your child's ADHD, autism, PANS/PANDAS, developmental delay or learning difficulties.
Perhaps you're trying to understand ongoing digestive problems, sleep concerns, restricted eating or changes in your child's health.
Or maybe you're looking for someone to consider the information you've already gathered and help you decide what matters first.
Whatever brings you here, we can begin with your concerns and work from there.
Listen first. Look deeper.