“Everything Looks Normal” – Why Trust Your Instincts

As a functional practitioner, I have a deep passion for helping children thrive. That is why it is so frustrating when I hear from parents who know something is wrong, but are told by their doctors, “Everything looks normal.”

They are right to trust their intuition.

While conventional medicine excels at acute care like broken bones or infections, its tools are not always designed to detect the subtle, functional imbalances that can precede a formal diagnosis.

🚩 Signs to Pay Attention to

These issues may not sound alarming on their own, but in functional wellness they are considered early indicators of deeper imbalance:

• Chronic tummy troubles such as constipation, bloating, or stomachaches
• Frequent rashes, eczema, or dry patches
• Night terrors or sleep disturbances
• Mood swings, irritability, or emotional sensitivity
• Picky eating or intense food cravings
• Recurring ear infections or sinus congestion
• Difficulty focusing, restlessness, or hyperactivity
• Behavioral shifts that seem out of the blue
• Fatigue or “low energy” days despite rest
• Excessive thirst, bedwetting, or regression
• Sensory overload in noisy or crowded places

🧠 Night Terrors Explained

Night terrors are more than just bad dreams. These episodes, where a child wakes screaming, confused, and inconsolable, may reflect:

• Gut imbalances disrupting neurotransmitter signaling
• Blood sugar dysregulation
• Hidden infections, including tickborne co-infections such as Bartonella
• Nutrient deficiencies such as magnesium or B6
• An overactive nervous system and poor detox pathways

Recurring night terrors deserve investigation into gut health, nutrient balance, and infection exposure.

❓ Why Conventional Medicine May Miss It

Routine checkups are designed to screen for disease, not subtle imbalances.

This means unless your child meets the clinical threshold for a diagnosis, symptoms are often labeled as “normal,” “a phase,” or “behavioral.” In reality, these are often the body’s earliest signs of imbalance.

✅ What Parents Can Do

1. Start Tracking Patterns

Keep a simple symptom journal. Note when signs appear, what your child ate, and any emotional or environmental triggers. Patterns often emerge over time.

2. Nourish with Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Support your child’s gut and brain with:

• Vegetables and clean proteins
• Healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, and salmon
• Bone broth and fermented foods
• Reduced sugar, processed foods, and food dyes

3. Take the Nutritional Foundations Class

Build confidence with tools to support food, gut, and immune health.
→ Join the class here

4. Explore Testing if Symptoms Persist

Consider functional testing if multiple issues cluster:

• Micronutrient Panel for nutrient deficiencies
• Gut Zoomer for gut health and microbiome balance
• Tickborne 1.0 or 2.0 if symptoms suggest chronic or hidden infection

➡️ Contact our office to order the Tickborne 1.0 test directly. We will provide a private ordering link, no appointment needed. Once results are ready, we will forward them to you so you decide your next steps.

Your Path Forward with Dr. Bonnie

Feeling overwhelmed is normal, but you do not have to navigate this journey alone. If you are tired of being told your child’s symptoms are “just a phase” and are ready for real answers, I am here to help.

We can work together to create an actionable map for your child’s health, starting with the right functional tests and a personalized wellness plan.

👉 Click here to schedule a free discovery call and learn more about working with me.

Final Thought

Your intuition is powerful. If you feel something is not quite right, trust that.

The signs may seem small, but they can be the body’s way of speaking loudly. And in some cases, especially when issues like night terrors, mood changes, or recurring rashes appear, it may be a clue to look deeper at gut health, nutrient status, or even hidden infections such as tickborne illness.

 

 

⚠️ Disclaimer

The information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any health decisions or changes to your diet or lifestyle.

📚 References & Resources

• Vibrant Wellness. Gut Zoomer and Tickborne Illness Panels. Retrieved from https://vibrant-wellness.com
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Signs and Symptoms of Lyme Disease. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/signs-symptoms/index.html
• Mindell JA, Owens JA. A Clinical Guide to Pediatric Sleep: Diagnosis and Management of Sleep Problems. Wolters Kluwer Health, 2015.
• Perlmutter D, Loberg K. Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain. Little, Brown Spark, 2015.
• Horowitz RI, Freeman PR. Precision Medicine and the Role of Advanced Laboratory Testing in Lyme Disease and Co-infections. Healthcare (Basel). 2019;7(3):114.