One of the greatest challenges in pediatric mental health is reaching an accurate diagnosis. Behaviors like impulsivity, emotional outbursts, or difficulty focusing can easily lead to children being misdiagnosed with ADHD, autism, OCD, or mood disorders, when in reality, the behaviors stem from autoimmune conditions, sensory processing issues, nutritional deficiencies, or environmental stressors.

Key Issues with Misdiagnosis:

Symptom Overlap Leads to Incorrect Diagnosis

• Many conditions—such as ADHD, anxiety, sensory processing disorder, and trauma responses—share similar symptoms.

• A child struggling with gut dysbiosis, disordered sleep, or food sensitivities may display hyperactivity or inattention that mimics ADHD.

Overlooking Root Causes

• Instead of addressing underlying nervous system dysregulation, trauma, inflammation, or genetic factors, misdiagnosis often leads to symptom management rather than true healing.

• Conditions like toxic stress, gut-brain imbalances, and even exposure to environmental toxins can manifest as mental health symptoms but require a whole-body approach to treatment.

Medication May Be Prescribed Too Quickly

• A misdiagnosed child may be prescribed medication unnecessarily, which can have long-term effects on brain development.

• Most prescribers agree that medications for children should be a “last resort” option. Holistic interventions include diet changes, nutritional supplementation, device detox, 5NP acupuncture/acupressure, sleep hygiene, family systems coaching, and play therapy.

Accuracy is vital.

A holistic approach to pediatric mental health diagnosis ensures a more comprehensive and individualized assessment of a child's well-being. By considering factors such as nutrition, sleep patterns, environmental stressors, and emotional resilience, a holistic practice moves beyond quick diagnostic labels and instead focuses on the root causes of behavioral concerns.

Lifestyle interventions and therapies such as auricular acupuncture and nutritional support can significantly improve behavioral challenges without the risks associated with overmedication. Parents who work with a holistic practice gain a more nuanced understanding of their child’s needs, allowing for personalized strategies that support their mental and emotional well-being without the unintended consequences of misdiagnosis.

Informed by years of experience working with children and parents, Dr. Koehler has created a holistic, integrative (mind/body/spirit/relationships/environment) diagnostic process to reduce the risks associated with misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis.

Dr. Koehler’s integrative approach incudes cognitive and academic assessment but goes beyond psychoeducational testing to include:
✅ Birth History and Medical Trauma (prenatal health, vaccine injury)
✅ Developmental Soft Signs and Red Flags (trouble latching, skip crawling)
✅ Biomedical Lab Data (nutrient sufficiency, DNA sequencing, other biological contributors) ✅ Play Observation (social & emotional learning, sensory processing) ✅ Rule Outs & Differential Diagnosis (obstructive sleep apnea, functional vision, PANDAS)

By shifting the focus from diagnosis to healing, we can provide children with the individualized care they need to thrive—without unnecessary labels or medications.

Want to know more? Give us a call. We’ll help you figure it out - one step at a time.