Pediatric care is no longer just about treating fevers or managing growth charts — it’s about nurturing the whole child. In an exclusive chat with The Pioneer, Dr. Michelle Shah opens up about her integrative approach to health, the rise in early puberty and screen addiction, and why supporting mothers is key to supporting children
Needhi Gattani
When you walk into a pediatrician’s clinic, the experience typically ends with a prescription and a follow-up date — leaving parents to figure out the rest on their own. But what if child healthcare could be more holistic, more personalized, and above all, more preventive? Enter Pediatric Lifestyle Medicine — a transformative approach that blends conventional medical science with preventive care, guiding parents and children every step of the way. In an exclusive chat with The Pioneer, Dr. Michelle Shah, a leading lifestyle pediatrician, shares how her pioneering 360-degree model is reshaping how we care for children, beginning even before they are born.
“With pediatric lifestyle medicine, it’s more like a handholding process,” says Dr. Shah. “It guides them through the entire journey of the first thousand days, which begins before conception—during the preconception phase—and continues until the child’s second birthday. After that, it encompasses the formative school years up to age seven. Of course, if a child has a medical condition, the approach differs significantly, but it still involves guiding the parents through this entire process. Today, parents face numerous questions and challenges but lack someone reliable to turn to.”
One growing concern among parents is early puberty in children—a multifactorial issue. Dr. Shah highlights that solutions aren’t straightforward because multiple lifestyle and environmental factors are at play, starting even before conception. “The primary factor is the rise in endocrine-disrupting chemicals in our day-to-day environment,” she explains. “For example, the plastic containers we store and microwave food in, take-away food containers—these are major sources of these chemicals. Many scented candles, room fresheners, and lotions also contain fragrance, which sets off the hormonal system.”
She emphasizes the need to reduce exposure to such endocrine disruptors even before conception. Post-birth, it becomes essential to assess what the child is exposed to daily—such as cleaning products or items they put in their mouths while crawling. Childhood obesity is another key factor. “Excess fat stores attract estrogen production. The more fat, the more estrogen—this explains the link between obesity and early puberty,” she adds.
The post-pandemic world has also intensified children’s exposure to digital media, leading to a heightened dependence on fast-paced, dopamine-triggering experiences. Dr. Shah notes, “We’re giving them so many toys with flashy colours and loud sounds. So tomorrow, if I give him a wooden block, he’s not going to find that interesting. Everything is fast, everything is quick. What’s slow becomes boring.”
Dr. Shah emphasizes that everything begins with a strong immune system—and immunity starts with the gut. “If kids don’t have a strong gut, then really, we’re not going to see them have good immunity in the long run,” she warns. A robust gut depends on a diet rich in whole foods, with a healthy mix of prebiotics and probiotics. But it’s not just about food. “A peaceful mind also matters. Children need to feel calm and relaxed. Outdoor play—touching soil and sand, getting their nails dirty—is essential for a robust gut and overall immunity,” she advises.
With children now growing up immersed in an AI-driven world, Dr. Shah believes that emotional wellness in pediatric care is more important than ever. Over time, cognitive skills may take a secondary role to emotional intelligence. She stresses the importance of how parents communicate with their children. “Make them feel valued and acknowledged from birth,” she says. “Avoid waiting for your child to develop a sense of assertiveness—foster it early. The way you speak about yourself in front of them, your tone, how you correct their mistakes—everything matters.”
She adds, “If I drop something and say, ‘Oh my God, that’s so stupid. How could you drop it?’ my child is listening. They may internalise that and think, ‘I’m stupid because I dropped it.’ Emotional intelligence begins with parents developing it first, then passing it on.”
Dr. Shah also addresses “mom guilt” as a public health issue. “We constantly keep hearing about it. Today, at least we have a word for it—mom guilt, mom burnout,” she says. These aren’t just buzzwords; they’re real struggles heard in friend groups, consultations, and workplaces. “The effect isn’t just in the office; it’s also at home. A burdened mum brings the burdens of home to the office, and vice versa. How can she be 100% present in either setting when part of her is being pulled in the other direction?”
According to Dr. Shah, managing mom guilt starts with addressing expectations. “It’s not just about why mom guilt happens and what can be done about it, but also about examining the systems in place that lead moms to feel this way. Comments like, ‘Oh, you can’t do both,’ or, ‘You should be able to balance both,’ or even, ‘You chose this for yourself’—these are harmful. I’ve heard of women going back to work after just four or six weeks of giving birth. They haven’t even started healing, and their energy levels are different.”
A rising concern in pediatric health is the alarming increase in vaping. “Vaping is actually worse than a cigarette,” warns Dr. Shah. “The particles are vaporised and broken down, allowing them to enter deeper pockets of the lungs. We see the same amount of lung damage in vapers as in long-term smokers—even after just a few years.” She cautions that vaping is not only more addictive but also more harmful to the lungs. “They look cooler, come in appealing flavours, and seem less dangerous—but they’re not.”
Dr. Shah also urges families to discard the many food-related myths that surround motherhood and childcare. “She can’t eat this, she can’t eat that. This is cooling in nature; that is warming in nature. There are so many restrictions,” she says. While the entire focus during pregnancy is on the mother’s diet and well-being, that concern vanishes after childbirth. “Once the baby is born, the mother is left to fend for herself. That’s why so many women face postpartum depression—they’re undergoing huge changes in their own bodies and lives, while dealing with societal pressures. These myths must be disbanded in every Indian household.”
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