The Road Less Travelled
Wellness choices for you and your child.
Sasha Korper

Parents are increasingly looking to ‘alternative health’ to provide gentle, non-invasive wellness options for their children. My husband and I are among them. Some of us cross the alternative health path gradually based on friends’ stories or interesting magazine articles; others get launched headlong due to an abrupt health crisis or after experiencing frustration with conventional medicine.

Journey begins with daughter’s injury

My introduction to alternative medicine was the result of a health crisis. About 15 years ago, my then two-year-old daughter decided to ride her tricycle down a set of concrete steps while her grandmother’s back was turned. We rushed her to the local hospital, where she was examined by the MD on call, x-rayed by the technician and bandaged by the nurse – precisely what we expect from the conventional or “allopathic” medical field. Her paediatrician assured me she would be fine, even though her x-rays showed a tiny hairline skull fracture where her head had met the concrete slab (yikes!).

Knowing how elastic young bones are, and observing that even this trauma had not disrupted my child’s precocious ways, I did not doubt the doctor’s prognosis. Instead, my greater worry was that she would be permanently disfigured – her face was grossly swollen, scraped and bruised. The prescribed antiseptic ointment proved only minimally effective. And then a friend recommended that I go see a homeopathic doctor. Homeopathy is based on the principle of ‘like cures like’, using plant, animal or mineral element dilutions to create subtle remedies capable of deep healing. The doctor recommended Arnica and Ledum, two specific remedies for trauma, swelling and bruising, which I administered orally and topically. My daughter healed beautifully. That launched me on a quest to find out more about homeopathy. I now keep a couple of good reference books and a range of homeopathic remedies handy at home and when we travel.

Following the Wellness Road

The next steps in my alternative health journey came a few years later when I became extremely ill from a parasite I had contracted in Nassau. Unfortunately, the tropical disease unit in a Toronto hospital had little to offer me beyond a diagnosis. It was a skilled naturopathic doctor (recommended by a friend) who prescribed a specific diet in combination with vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements to put me back on track. I later saw a certified iridologist – someone able to assess the body’s overall condition by close examination of the eye’s iris – who was able to identify my key constitutional weaknesses. I then followed up with a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, who prescribed a series of Chinese herbs and acupuncture treatments. All my symptoms disappeared, including severe food allergies, and my compromised immune system returned to normal.

Over time, I increasingly found myself walking the alternative wellness road. When my second daughter proved even more stubborn and sleepless than the first, her father and I took her to a network chiropractor he knew professionally. This type of chiropractor uses gentle, precise touch to the spine to cue the patient’s brain to release spinal tensions and promote wellness. We found monthly treatments helped regulate her digestive system and sleep patterns, as well as promote a co-operative attitude overall.

What began as a reaction to my first child’s physical crisis has grown into a way of life. What appeals to me most about the alternative therapies I’ve explored is their inherently holistic nature. Where conventional medical practice often includes invasive interventions designed to treat specific symptoms and cure disease, alternative medicine generally attends to not only the physical, but also to the mental, emotional and spiritual components of wellness.

Finding Middle Ground

I still believe there are plenty of great things to be said about traditional or allopathic medicine – even 15 years later, if one of my children made excessively aggressive contact with pavement, I would still rush her to a hospital emergency room. The difference between then and now is that today I would know to administer homeopathics on the way there to initiate her body’s own healing response and reduce symptoms of shock. Plus, I would subsequently take her to my network chiropractor, not only for physical re-alignment, but to release any stored trauma from the fall.

I’ve discovered that increasing numbers of allopathic practitioners (MDs, RNs and even veterinarians) are adding alternative therapies to their regular practice. Some say this heralds the advent of a fresh outlook on health and wellness known as integrative medicine. Integrative medicine is great news for North American parents because it intrinsically seeks to serve the whole patient’s needs, fully integrating the best options available from a multitude of sources, whether technological, natural, homeopathic or pharmaceutical.

One great advantage of integrating alternative therapies into our children’s health program is that they are both gentle and effective. Most are also non-invasive and therefore very safe for children. I like using homeopathic remedies for acute conditions (colds or fever), and gentle touch treatments, such as network chiropractic, cranial sacral or reiki for maintaining my children’s overall wellness. I know our in-laws find nightly visualization helps their daughter leave her daily stresses behind before sleep, and our whole family finds regular yoga, stretching and meditation very beneficial. However, we do practise caution with certain holistic approaches. Acupuncture needles are not used for children (acupressure points may be gently stimulated in other ways). Supplements, herbs and essential oils are powerful medicine and should only be used as directed by a professional experienced in working with children.

Trust Instincts

Every system has its limits. Alternative therapies can require a time and financial commitment to produce results; allopathic treatment often isolates symptom from root cause, effecting temporary relief without addressing the deeper issue. Once I understood these limits, I was able to trust my instincts and develop a health strategy for my family.

I still read plenty of natural health magazines and compare notes with friends and colleagues.

I ask lots of questions of any professional I consult, whether conventional or alternative health practitioner.

Our family is committed to taking preventative measures to ensure our ongoing wellness – proper rest, nutrition and supplementation, particularly during the busy school season, is a priority.

We use community resources, including regular yoga or meditation classes.

We try to be realistic about what we are willing to do to attain and maintain good health; we all have limited resources, so we go with what works for us individually and as a family.

To find a new practitioner, I always seek out recommendations – a good therapist will always empower me to help myself and not create a long-term dependence on their therapy.

Courage is important when considering new approaches – I’ve learned to go with what feels right.

There are plenty of available options to explore in your search for appropriate wellness solutions for you and your family. I’ve found integrative practice works best when it is a team effort: finding the right products, services and practitioners that truly support the whole family.

Sasha Korper is an educational therapist living in Cobourg with her husband, two girls and three cats. Private tutoring: sasha@kids2kids.com.