Holistic Pediatricians
Welcome to our Holistic Pediatricians category page, where we celebrate a whole-child approach to healthcare. These blog posts are dedicated to exploring how holistic pediatrics integrates mind, body, and spirit to support your child’s growth and development in every way.
Holistic pediatric care goes beyond addressing symptoms—it’s about understanding your child as a unique individual and providing personalized care that promotes their overall well-being. From nutrition and preventative care to emotional health and natural remedies, this category offers insights into how holistic care can nurture your child’s health and happiness. Dive into these posts to learn more about how a holistic approach can make a difference for your family.
Dr. Chheda – Your toddler needs about half a gram of protein per kilogram of weight every day. So let’s break this down.
A typical one-year-old is about 10 kilos, so they need 5 grams of protein a day. That’s all they really need. A glass of milk has about 8 grams of protein in it. An egg has 9 grams of protein in it. So if they’re drinking a glass of milk, they’re already getting more protein than they need for that particular day. So you don’t have to fill your child up with extra protein. Your child is getting plenty of protein with everything that they eat during the day.
Now a typical four-year-old is about 20 kilos, so half of that is 10 grams protein per day. Again, an egg has 9 grams of protein in it. They eat an egg a day, they’re gonna get plenty of protein with that egg and everything else combined in it.
They do not need extra protein. You don’t need to push extra protein on them. You don’t have to give them extra meat or extra beans. A cup of beans has 40 grams of protein. A couple of bites of beans is all they really need every day.
You know what happens to that extra protein if it’s not utilized? It turns into fat. Okay, they don’t need that extra protein. They are not building muscle. After the age of 5 is when they build muscle. Before 5, they’re getting all their height. If you see a typical 3-year-old, they are tall and skinny because they are building height. They need lots of fruits and vegetables.
So please focus on the fruits and vegetables for your toddlers. They will get plenty of protein just from that.
Dr. Chheda – 🧠 What do you do when your child is diagnosed with a chronic, long-term issue? Whether it’s diabetes, whether it’s ADD, whether it’s autism. What do you do when your child is diagnosed with a chronic, long-term issue? Some developmental delay, a congenital issue, cancer – what do you do?
Well, first you’re going to grieve, and that is okay. It’s natural to grieve. You wish for this perfect, healthy baby where nothing is wrong with them, and then you find out that something might be an issue. And you grieve for a little bit, and then you process it, and then you move on.
And then you need to meet your child where they are and help them be the best they can be. You don’t want to change them to this perfect ideal that may never happen, but you do want them to reach their full potential.
But you have to meet them where they are, and then help them the best way that you can by loving them, encouraging them, and giving them all the possible resources that you can.
Dr. Chheda – 🏥 Understanding Medical Advice: A Doctor’s Perspective
The role of medical advice:
Based on education, experience & evidence
Patient decides whether to follow
Trust and understanding are key
Open dialogue is essential
Taking care of twins comes with unique challenges, and choosing the right stroller is crucial! Dr. Mona and Courtney share their expert insights on double strollers, comparing back-to-back vs side-by-side options.
Key points discussed:
Back-to-back strollers offer better maneuverability
Budget-friendly option: Baby Trend Snap and Go ($92)
Premium option: Convertible stroller with 16 configurations
Post-C-section considerations
Long-term usability factors
Our top recommendation: Back-to-back configuration for easier navigation through doorways, airport terminals, and shopping areas.
Dr. Chheda – 💚What do you do when your child is diagnosed with a chronic, long-term issue? Whether it’s diabetes, whether it’s ADD, whether it’s autism. What do you do when your child is diagnosed with a chronic, long-term issue? Some developmental delay, a congenital issue, cancer – what do you do?
Well, first you’re going to grieve, and that is okay. It’s natural to grieve. You wish for this perfect, healthy baby where nothing is wrong with them, and then you find out that something might be an issue. And you grieve for a little bit, and then you process it, and then you move on.
And then you need to meet your child where they are and help them be the best they can be. You don’t want to change them to this perfect ideal that may never happen, but you do want them to reach their full potential.
But you have to meet them where they are, and then help them the best way that you can by loving them, encouraging them, and giving them all the possible resources that you can.
Dr. Chheda –
Let’s talk about a universal truth of adolescence: the “invincibility complex.” Every teenager goes through this phase where they believe nothing bad can happen to them.
You’ll hear thoughts like: “I don’t need a seatbelt” “It won’t happen to me” “I’m not going to get hurt”
For parents, this can be terrifying. But here’s what you can do:
Keep repeating safety messages
Consistently model good behavior
Understand that some mistakes are part of growing up
The goal isn’t to prevent every mistake – that’s impossible.
Instead, focus on preventing those permanent, life-altering ones.
That’s every parent’s real concern.
Dr. Chheda – A compassionate look at why teens might resist personal care:
Body changes and self-consciousness
Common hygiene resistance patterns
Why forcing habits often backfires
Natural motivation development
Tips for patient parenting
💬 It’s important to give back. Absolutely! I cannot agree with that statement more. I think sometimes as adults we are part of organizations and we find fun things to do, whether be a 5K run for a fundraiser, whether it be donating hours, food bank, soup kitchen, that type of things. Even getting the kids’ old shoes and clothes are things like that – it gives back.
Don’t miss those opportunities with your children as well. Don’t just do it – show them how to do it. I think giving back is a wonderful opportunity to build confidence and to show them how to be good to your community and to those who are less fortunate. I think it’s a good reality check for some of our children. Humbles them.
Teaches them gratitude. And your child is never too young. I remember I used to take my son to a soup kitchen when he was 1, and he would scribble on the brown paper bags that we would put food in, and then go and deliver it to people in need. So your child is never too young. Don’t forget to give back.
Dr. Chheda – 💧 You start feeding water to your infant after 6 months of age. Before 6 months of age, they’re getting plenty of hydration with either breast milk or with formula. You don’t need to feed them any extra water.
What will end up happening if you give them water is that they will fill up on the water. Now they won’t eat because their stomach is full, and then they’re not gonna get the nutrition or the calories that they need.
So no, you don’t need to give your infant water until after 6 months of age. And then at that point, they can take about 4 ounces of water a day, just tiny sips at a time, especially after they eat. And that’ll help clean all the food out of their mouth. So don’t introduce water before 6 months of age.
Dr. Chheda – How do you get your toddler to eat more vegetables? There’s lots of different ways. I’ll just tell you what I did.
I would blend up whatever vegetables we had, cooked them, blended them, added some spices to them, and then made a vegetable soup. And I gave it to them in a bowl with a straw, so all they had to do was suck them. That was fun!
And every week I would make vegetable soup, and I would put in different vegetables. Whatever we had would go into the vegetable soup. And they’ll be like, “Well, this tastes a little different this week, mom.” “Yes it does, but that’s okay you can eat it.”
You can put some goldfish on top of them, you know, make it a little fun. But at least they’re getting their vegetables.
What things have you done with your toddler to help them eat their vegetables? Put them in a pressure cooker.