As a Clinical Nutritionist that works with children, I want to be sure that the recommendations I am prescribing are appropriate and actually what your child needs. This is why I love using various types of testing to ensure we are using the right tools at the right time.
Depending on the types of symptoms your child is experiencing, there are a variety of testing options available to us, such as
Blood pathology testing
Buccal (oral cheek) swab testing (for DNA or gene testing, such as MTHFR variants)
Metagenomic stool testing to assess gut health, function and the microbiome
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) testing for mineral levels including heavy metal burden
Plus more
All of these tests give us a more holistic and functional look at what is going on, alongside in depth case taking (where I ask what feels like a million detailed questions) and using a combination of this, we put together a treatment plan with actionable steps to get your little one feeling better.
Running these types of tests for your child allows us to see what is happening on a deeper level, and uncovers a root cause for many common childhood conditions, such as constipation, picky eating, eczema or dermatitis, allergies, hives, behavioural issues, aggression, sleep disturbances, and more.
Working alongside other practitioners is where seeing a Clinical Nutritionist and doing some further testing is really beneficial - oftentimes looking at things from a different lens and ensuring we are covering the foundations (like types of food being offered, nutritional deficiencies, sleep hygiene, lifestyle habits etc.) helps us to get a baseline for your child and know which approaches are warranted and required.
If you are interested in some further testing for your child, email me directly (alanawillis.nutrition@gmail.com) or book in for an Initial Consultation - Paediatric Nutrition.