When your child is in pain, you will do anything to find answers. For nearly a year, we searched for solutions to Owen’s constant stomach issues, but every test came back normal and every prescription felt like it was only covering up symptoms. It wasn’t until we turned to a functional doctor that we finally uncovered the root cause. What followed was a journey that completely changed his health and gave us hope again.
Affiliate Disclaimer: This post about Our Child’s Journey with a Functional Doctor contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
When Stomachaches Became More Than Just Preschool Anxiety
When my son, Owen, was four years old and in preschool, he started complaining about stomach pain. At first, we brushed it off. It seemed like a passing bug or maybe nerves about going to school. But the complaints didn’t stop.
He would come home early from preschool, clutching his belly, and I started to wonder if something deeper was going on. To complicate matters, this was right around the pandemic era. Kids were catching every bug that circulated, and Owen had been hit hard by one virus in particular. For a while we assumed his ongoing stomach issues were just lingering aftereffects.
But weeks turned into months, and the stomachaches became a constant theme in our home.
Why Traditional Medicine Didn’t Provide Answers
We visited his pediatrician and began tracking everything he ate, suspecting allergies. He would randomly throw up after meals, often in the morning, yet there was no clear link to any food.
One summer day at the pool stands out in my memory. School was out, so anxiety was no longer in play. Owen came over mid-swim and said, “Mom, I’m going to throw up.” Sure enough, he got sick behind the bushes and then ran right back into the water as if nothing had happened.
After more appointments, our pediatrician referred us to a pediatric gastroenterologist. Bloodwork came back perfectly normal. At the next visit, the GI doctor suggested acid reflux and prescribed Famotidine. To our relief, the medicine helped for a while. His symptoms eased, the vomiting stopped, and we thought we had turned a corner. But I did not want my little boy on daily medication indefinitely.
Months later, the GI specialist recommended an endoscopy at Children’s Hospital. That was the moment my mom instinct told me we were managing symptoms instead of finding the root cause.
How a Functional Doctor Changed Everything
Around that time, I shared my frustrations on Facebook. A former client reached out and recommended a functional doctor who had helped her own children. At that point, we were nearly a year into this battle. Desperate but hopeful, I made the call and booked an appointment with Dr. Chung.
I will be honest, I was skeptical. Functional medicine was not something I knew much about. But I also carried a quiet hope that maybe this would be the answer we had been searching for.
Understanding Parasites in Produce
Dr. Chung’s first assessment was that Owen had a parasite. He explained how common this is, especially when we buy produce shipped from South America during the winter months. Think about it. When we vacation in Mexico, we are told not to drink the water. Yet those same water sources are used to spray fruits and vegetables that make their way into our grocery stores.
From that day forward, I completely changed the way I shop for produce. I now only buy fruits and vegetables grown in the United States. Most of our produce now comes from Sprouts, and I always check the labels.
Owen’s Gut Healing Journey With A Functional Doctor
For treatment, Dr. Chung prescribed drops to eliminate the parasite and started Owen on LDI therapy, or low dose immunotherapy. If you are unfamiliar, LDI uses highly diluted antigens to calm an overactive immune system and restore gut balance.
Owen’s personalized solution came in the form of tasteless drops that he took once a week on an empty stomach. You can learn more about LDI here: Chung Institute.
The difference was almost immediate. Within weeks, Owen’s stomachaches eased. The random vomiting stopped. For the first time in a year, he was not living in constant discomfort.
Today, Owen is thriving in third grade. No more stomach pain, no more unexplained sickness.
Supporting Children’s Daily Health
Since Owen’s recovery, I have become much more intentional about what I give both of my boys to support their health. Here are a few staples in our weekly routine that were recommended by Dr. Chung.
I prefer liquid drops over gummies because they are easier for kids to take and they minimize fillers and added sugars.
Pure K2/D3 Liquid – Vitamin D3 supports bone growth and immune health while Vitamin K2 ensures optimum calcium absorption.
Professional Formula’s Mycological Immune Stimulator – A blend designed to strengthen the natural immune response. We used it to treat Owen’s foot fungus, and I now keep it on hand because a few drops on the tongue work quickly.
JoySpring Immune Drops – A kids’ immunity support supplement made with natural ingredients that provides extra protection against seasonal bugs.
Mary Ruth’s Vitamins + Probiotic – A daily multivitamin paired with probiotics to support gut balance, digestion, and overall wellness.
These consistent, small steps help me feel confident that I am giving my kids a strong foundation for health year-round.
How A Functional Doctor Helped Me Too
Seeing Owen’s success, I eventually became a patient of Dr. Chung myself. I had been dealing with bloating, brain fog, and sluggish digestion. After starting LDI, my bloating disappeared, my digestion regulated, and my energy lifted in a way I had not felt in years.
I will be sharing more about my own journey with functional medicine in a future blog post, but I can already say the changes have been life-changing.
Trusting Your Instinct
If there is one thing I learned through this process, it is that sometimes we need to keep searching even when the standard answers do not feel right. Functional medicine uncovered the root cause of Owen’s stomach issues and restored his gut health.
As a mom, I am grateful that I trusted my instincts and kept looking for answers. Functional medicine opened a door for our family, and I hope our story encourages other parents to know that healing is possible.
xx,
Kim
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