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The Gut-Brain Connection: More Than Just a Stomach Issue

WELCOME TO THE THRIVE PROGRAM

A New Standard for Your Baby’s Health

“You are your child’s best historian, observer, and advocate. We are here to help support your child thrive.”

-Dr. Kirin Palmer

Is Thrive Right for Your Child?

Thrive was built for families who sense that something is off — and who want a physician willing to look deeper. Whether your child has a diagnosis, a cluster of unexplained symptoms, or you simply want to give a new baby the best possible start, Thrive offers a level of care most families have never experienced.

Dr. Kirin Palmer combines the rigor of conventional pediatric medicine with the depth of functional medicine and gut microbiome science to uncover root causes — not just manage symptoms. If any of the following describes your child or family, Thrive may be exactly what you have been looking for.

What is functional medicine?

What “Functional” Means Here

Functional care at Pure Joy Pediatrics means:

Thoughtful listening
Careful physical exams
Pattern recognition over time
Preventive thinking
Asking why a child isn’t thriving
Reassessing diagnoses and treatments as children grow

It strengthens the traditional pediatric approach, it does not replace it.

What the Membership Really Supports

Preventive, longitudinal care

Nutrition & sleep support

Early detection of health patterns

Microbiome and nutritional assessments

Deeper evaluation when needed

Comfort measures around vaccines

Science-backed gut-focused approach

Most people think of gut health in terms of digestion — but the science tells a much richer story. The gut microbiome, the vast community of bacteria and microorganisms living in your child’s digestive tract, is directly connected to the brain through what researchers call the gut-brain axis.

The gut is sometimes called the “second brain” — and for good reason. The microorganisms in your child’s gut actually produce neurotransmitters, including serotonin, dopamine, and GABA — the same chemical messengers that regulate mood, attention, anxiety, and emotional wellbeing. In fact, approximately 90% of the body’s serotonin is produced in the gut.

This means that when the gut microbiome is out of balance, the effects are not limited to the digestive system. An imbalanced microbiome can contribute to difficulties with focus and attention, heightened anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and low mood — symptoms that are often addressed with behavioral or psychiatric interventions alone, without ever looking at what is happening in the gut.

At Thrive, we look at the whole child. When we support gut health, we are supporting brain health too.

Thrive Is For You If...

Your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, depression, or eczema and you want to explore the gut-brain connection

Your child struggles with constipation, chronic diarrhea, or recurring abdominal pain

You are expecting a second child after a first was diagnosed with reflux, feeding, or protein intolerances

Your child keeps getting sick and you want to understand why

You feel like something is off but have been told all the tests look normal

You want a physician who will truly listen and look for root causes, not just manage symptoms

Schedule a Meet and Greet with Dr. Palmer today! Call us at (503) 420-8667 and let’s start building your baby's lifelong wellness through the Thrive Program.

Your child deserves more than a symptom-by-symptom approach. Dr. Palmer is here to help you find the answers and support your child to truly thrive.

Podcast