ABSTRACT
This story tells a tale of a parent and a child who must rely on their instincts and perseverance to determine the cause of the child’s severe gastrointestinal symptoms. The child needed to reconstruct his gut health while the parent challenged the narrative of the seasoned and highly trained health practitioners. It is a story of self-advocacy, against the odds and a backdrop of sole parenting. It meant navigating a poorly networked, over-taxed healthcare system that led the practitioners astray. They relied on lab work more than empirical evidence and, in so doing, missed vital clues revealed by the child’s signs and symptoms. Had the parent followed the apportioned advice of the initial medical team, the outcomes could have been tragic. Fortunately, the parent sought advice from diverse sources, the puzzle was better mastered, and classic natural health remedies were used to rebuild the child’s health.
