Unfortunately, mainstream medicine has not caught up to the importance of functional medicine and do not cover these services. I do, however, create superbills that can be submitted for reimbursement.
No, they are not required to participate but it is very much encouraged! If age appropriate, I like to discuss with the child who I am and what we will be focusing on in the coming months. As a mom of three young girls, I know that kids are SMART! They are more inclined to participate if they have intrinsic motivation (i.e., “If I eat this, I will run faster!”)
The idea of littleRoot is to make it as easy as possible for parents/guardians to incorporate the steps needed to discover and manage the child’s symptoms.
The lab kit is mailed directly to your front door. Only hair and urine are required for the most commonly ordered labs. No blood draws! Steps on collection are included in the kit and shipping costs are covered.
If we determine that more extensive labs (that may include blood work) are appropriate, it is a decision that YOU make during our call.
Conventional labs are typically from blood. While there is a lot we can identify and manage through blood work, there are many biomarkers that are more accurately measured through other means.
The standard labs run through littleRoot ONLY require hair, stool, and urine. Based on results, we can determine vitamin and mineral levels, oxidative stress, neurotransmitter levels, heavy metal exposure, environmental toxins and pollutants, etc.