Dr. Elisa Song explains how gut health, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, and chronic stress may contribute to anxiety, depression, and mental health challenges in children.

Dr. Elisa Song explores the growing mental health crisis affecting children and teenagers through the lens of functional and integrative medicine. She explains how inflammation, gut health, nutrient deficiencies, microbiome disruption, chronic stress, and environmental factors may contribute to anxiety, depression, behavioral concerns, and emotional dysregulation. The conversation also highlights practical strategies to support resilience, vagus nerve function, and long-term mental wellness in children.

Elisa Song, MD, is an integrative pediatrician, pediatric functional medicine expert, and mom to 2 thriving children. In her integrative pediatric practice, Whole Family Wellness (www.wholefamilywellness.org), she’s helped thousands of kids get to the root causes of their health concerns and helped their parents understand how to help their children thrive – body, mind, and spirit – by integrating conventional pediatrics with functional medicine, homeopathy, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and essential oils. Dr. Song created Healthy Kids Happy Kids (www.healthykidshappykids.com) as an online holistic pediatric resource to help practitioners and parents bridge the gap between conventional and integrative pediatrics with an evidence-based, pediatrician-backed approach.