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Pediatricians who Support Alternative Choices

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > Health & Medical > Pediatricians > Pediatricians who Support Alternative Choices


See also: Pediatricians who practice non-Western medicine
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Pediatric Alternatives-type in Berkeley?

Feb 2009

I am very interested in the Pediatric Alternatives practice in Mill Valley, but don't want to travel that far for pediatrics care. Is there any place near Berkeley that offers an integrative approach to children's health care? From the Pediatric Alternatives website: ''Integrative Medicine [combines] western medicine with alternative care, including herbal remedies and classical homeopathy.'' Their doctors are both MD and NDs. Thanks!


I have been practicing pediatric acupuncture and naturopathy in Berkeley for 25 years. During that time a number of MD pediatricians have come to my attention as being more open to working with alternative approaches. Sometimes they stay the course, sometimes they become more strict about what they will allow their patients to do or not do (eg. vaccinations, etc). I cannot recommend particular physicians to the public but I can suggest physician referrals to my own clients. I have to say, though, that their numbers have decreased over the years.

Pediatrician friendly to attachment parenting

Jan 2009

I'm looking for a pediatrician who is attachment parenting-friendly and who has a warm, generous, caring style. I am currently with Bayside Pediatriacs and, while I like the doctors OK, I hope to find an office that isn't so rushed with such impossibly long wait times. I also have an image in my head of a deeply kind, big-hearted pediatrician who remembers my son from visit to visit, who is a brilliant physician, who takes the time to teach us about our health, and who supports and even facilitates methods of healing that aren't always about medication. Also, someone who supports a delayed vaccine schedule and doesn't think that elimination communication is weird. I would like to *love* our pediatrician! We're in Berkeley. Thank you! Happy New Year! - lookin' for a big heart


I have to recommend our pediatrician, Dr. Wolffe Nadoolman in Berkeley. His website is www.private-pediatrics.medem.com Our kids absolutely love him. He knows them and practices what he believes about taking time to make the children feel open and secure. They look forward to seeing him. The level of care is like something from a different generation.

That said, I have no idea what he knows about elimination communication. I think he'd be ok with adjusting the vaccine schedule, but I know he is firm on kids getting vaccinated. Go and talk to him, and ask him. Frank


Pediatrician open to alternative modalities

Nov 2008

I am looking for a pediatrician, and open to a health care professional from a different discipline, for my 5 year old daughter and my baby-on-the-way. We want someone who is open to alternative modalities, and supportive of our following an alternative vaccine schedule. Here's the catch: I need someone who will bill my insurance. Cynthia


Hi there. There are no medical doctors located in the east bay that I currently know of that are holistically minded practitioners. There is a great practice up in Mill Valley and another one down in Bellemont. Unfortunately, the best that I have come across in the east bay are MDs that are open to alternative care for their patients, but are not actually practicing it. Jill
we have been going to dr.janet pearlman at bayside medical on telegraph in berkeley: (510) 843-4544. she is open to alternative vaccination schedules and very receptive to alternative modalities such as homeopathy. haia

Pro-homebirth pediatrician

Sept 2008

The pediatrician doesn't have to be PRO-homebirth, just homebirth-FRIENDLY, but that wouldn't fit in the heading. :) We're having a daughter in mid-January, hopefully at home, and we would like to know if anyone has had experience with homebirth and any of the female pediatricians at East Bay Pediatrics. Our three-year-old son sees Dr. Richard Oken at East Bay Pediatrics, and although we think he's a great doctor, he's old-school and old-fashioned and (although we haven't yet asked him for his opinion) probably not a fan of homebirth. (Also, he's male, and we'd like a female doctor at the same practice for our daughter.) Thanks for any advice you can share! Nicole R.


Dr. Gerwein and other doctors at Bayside Pediatrics on Telegraph Ave. in Berkeley (just kitty corner from Whole Foods) is homebirth-friendly. Dr. Gerwein is respectful of our choices, inc. delaying vaccination or not having them. I believe they will also do a home visit if you are close enough to their office. One other place I'd try is Dr. Janet Himmelvo in Point Richmond, of Point Richmond Family Practice. She does home visits and I'm pretty sure is friendly to homebirthers. She and her partner just had a baby a few months ago. http://www.prfamilypractice.com/Site/Welcome.html
homebirth family with regular pediatrician

SF pediatricians open to modified vac schedule

April 2008

Hi, I'm looking for recommendations for good SF-based pediatricians who support delayed/modified vaccination schedules. Thanks! anon


I had a baby in SF last year, and man did I make a lot of phone calls looking for an SF pediatrician who could meet my needs! I started out on Yelp! and BPN and got some recommendations from my midwives, but unfortunately I didn't save my notes from all the phone calls. One office manager explained to me why they do not allow parents to tinker with vaccination schedules - she said that insurance companies note which doctors do not vaccinate on the CDC schedule and ding them for it. More than one office told me that if I were to bring my child there as a patient, they would require me to sign a form saying I would adhere to the CDC vaccination schedule. No thank you! The only office I found that looked like it would work for me is Noe Valley Pediatrics ((415) 641-1019), which was conveniently a few blocks from my house... and they were not taking new clients (I was due in late September '07).

Since it looked like I was going to have to drive 30 minutes anyway to get to the CPMC end of town, I decided to go with Bayside Medical Group in Berkeley. We see Dr. Jenna Seiff, and have had a very good experience with her. We are splitting all our vaccinations so we go twice as often for half the number of shots. We also decided to skip Hep B until age 10, skip rotovirus completely, and delay chicken pox until school age. This has been absolutely no problemo with them.

There is a new pediatric clinic which opened just a few months ago - it's medical professionals who have recently left St. Luke's and it's on the corner of I think Church and 29th. I perused their website and they sounded open to flexible vaccination. I would have switched but they don't work as well with my insurance situation. I'll keep my eyes open next time I drive by and post again with the name of it if I can.

Continuation of earlier posting: the new SF pediatric clinic is on the corner of 29th and Church and it is called GetzWell Pediatrics (www.getzwell.com) Another SF Mama


Pediatrician open to no/few vaccines?

March 2008

Can anyone recommend a pediatrician in the Alta Bates medical group that doesn't push vaccines? I'm having my first baby in June and would love to find a natural leaning doctor for our new baby. Lesly


Hi, we are ''up to date'' with our vaccines, so I can't say from first-hand experience that we would be totally supported if we had chosen not to. However, I can recommend our Ped's practice: Kiwi Pediatrics (Dr. Kittams, Dr. Winokur, Dr. Salzberg). They have been very willing to discuss my concerns about some of the new vaccines and have been willing to let me hold off on one of them. I also remember their names coming up in a similar post about 6 years ago when we were also looking for a ped. Though, that is second-hand information. anon
We go to Dr. Janet Pearlman. We've only seen her a couple of times now, but we were real straight forward about the fact that we do not vaccinate, and so far she has been supportive. Before that we were seeing Dr. Kittams and he had said that he would be supportive, but every time we went he was telling us why we should vaccinate. Some of his reasons were very far fetched, and it got old real fast. anon
My two sons age 5 & 3 are have had almost no vaccines. We see Dr. Janet Perlman at Bayside Medical at 510-452-5231 in Berkeley near whole foods. She also has an office in Oakland. She is wonderful and respectful. She has never made us feel irresponsible for refusing vaccines. She is also great about the use of antibiotics. My younger son has had frequent ear infections and she has never pushed us to use antibiotics but has instead kept a close watch on him. All of these infections have turned out to be viral and have gone away within days. She is very kind to our children and she seems to be up on the more recent studies regarding pediatrics. She has raised a few kids herself and I find her to be very real around issues of eating, sleep, potty training and behavoir. I think there are some other docs in the office who support the delay or refusal of vaccines. Herbal Momma
You may want to check out Pediatric Alternatives in Mill Valley. We absolutely love the practice and find the drive well worth it. www.pediatricalternatives.com . They integrate the best of Eastern and Western medicine and are very supportive of a parents choice to not vaccinate or vaccinate selectively one at a time. fan of pediatric alternatives!

Practice that will accept non-vaccinated kids

Oct 2007

If there is anyone who can help me finding a doctors practice that will take non- vaccinated children, I would be really grateful. I have just moved here from England 8 weeks ago and would like to find a sympathetic doctor, who won't try to convince me to vaccinate. I have three young boys aged 6 1/2, 4 1/2 and 9 mths. Thanks. lucy


Dr. Janet Perlman, Bayside Pediatrics. She's the greatest. No hassle whatsoever about vaccines. Totally respects your choice. Homebirthed her own kids. She totally honors that I am an acupuncturist mom and don't use allopathic medicine except for certain kinds of cases. Smart, engaging, very experienced. I can't recommend her highly enough. Be aware that not every practitioner in the practice is like her, though. So it's worth the wait to get in to see her. Happy, holistic mom

Pediatrician that is NOT hot on Vaccines

April 2007

As part of my research I would like to interview one or two Pediatricians that are NOT hot on Vaccines. Any recommendations? Annon


Dr Perlman on telegraph is very definitely ''not hot'' on vaccines. Definitely check her out, we've had many pediatricians (3 kids) and love her best. christine
I just want to say that Janet Perlman of Bayside Medical Group (in Oakland 510.452.5231) has a very pragmatic approach to vaccines and as a result most her patients (or their parents) choose what she calls a ''boutique'' approach to vaccines-- setting their own timeline, choosing which ones are important to them at which stages, if at all. She has helped me immensely in balancing my desire to protect my child with my concerns about overburdening his immune system with too many vaccines. I also know people under her care who have had no vaccines. In general she leaves the parenting up to the parents--and doesn't pass judgement or have a specific agenda about how that should happen. This means however, that you have to be willing to do your homework--bring in your questions and concerns and advocate for your child and your parenting choices. She won't tell you what to do--which I think can also be stressful for new parents--but ultimately it is a gift and a rare one. Corey

Pediatrician for non-vaxed baby

August 2004

My husband and I just moved to the East Bay (albany, to be exact) with a 2 1/2 month old baby and need to find a Dr. We are not vaccinating our child and would like a Dr. who will not give us a lot of problems for that. Thank you. Kelly

Recommended:

  • Janet Perlman, Bayside Medical Group (2)
  • Primary Pediatric Medical Group

    Other advice:

    I have searched high and low and have left several pediatricians because they were disrespectful of my parenting decisions. I have found the doctor of my dreams! Not only is he not for vaccinations, he is a doctor of Chinese medicine, homeopathy and accupuncture. He has several books out on vaccinations and has a great web site www.cure-guide.com His name is Randall Neustadter. He is in Redwood City butit is worth the drive! His number is 650-299-9170. Feel free to email me offline for more info. Melissa


    Limited Immunizations & Alternative Medicine

    2001

    We are looking for a new pediatrician for our seven months old son who was born at home and hasn't had any vaccinations yet. We would like a pediatrician who won't freak out by this, and, preferably, is also open to alternative medicine. Also, we would like the pediatrician's office to be reachable by public transport. (This is one reason why I don't want to see Dr. Gill who is recommended by the website.)

    Recommendations received:

  • Christine Ciavarella
  • David Kittams & Robin Winokur (5)
  • Frank Lucido
  • Janet Perlman, Bayside Medical Group

    Limited Immunizations & Open to Homeopathy

    1999

    We're looking for a pediatrician for our 16 month old. Previous postings that I've seen here didn't address our very specific wishes. We'd like someone who is fantastic with the child (and his lesbian parents...), and who is supportive or at least comfortable with various choices we're making, including limited and flexibly-timed immunizations, use of alternative medicine (such as homeopathy), family bed, and who doesn't keep us waiting in their office for more than 15-20 minutes (we waited 1.5 hours last week for our doctor!). Kind office and nursing staff are also important to us. Thanks in advance.

    Recommendations received:

  • Mary Jones, Berkeley
  • Robin Winokur, Berkeley
  • Jeff Gill, Orinda

    Vegan/Vegetarian Children

    2001

    I am looking for a pediatrician who is supportive/knowledgable about vegan/vegetarian toddlers. Any advice? Or recommendations? Thanks!

    Recommendations received:

  • Jennifer Miller, UCSF Medical Center
  • Janet Perlman, Bayside Pediatrics
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