The OBservations Podcast: An Open Conversation on Women's Health

Rethinking Kids’ Health with Dr. Mumper: A Root‑Cause Approach to Pediatric Wellness

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Season: 4

Episode: 2

40 Mins

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In part one of a two-part episode series of Observations, Dr. Susan Bane welcomes an extraordinary guest: Dr. Elizabeth Mumper, MD, FAAP, IFMCP—a Senior Fellow in Pediatric Education and one of the most respected voices in integrative and functional pediatric medicine.

With several decades of clinical and teaching experience, Dr. Mumper has shaped the landscape of pediatric care through her work as creator of the FLCCC’s I-CARE: For Kids treatment guide, her 10+ years as Director of Pediatric Education in a Family Practice Residency Program, 16 years on clinical faculty at the University of Virginia, and her tenure as Medical Director of the Autism Research Institute. Today, she continues her commitment to advancing pediatric education through her faculty role with the Medical Academy for Pediatric Special Needs (MAPS) and as a certified practitioner with the Institute for Functional Medicine, where she developed the first advanced clinical pediatric training.

Beyond clinical practice, Dr. Mumper has authored book chapters, published peer‑reviewed research from the Rimland Center, and lectured internationally bringing crucial insights to both medical professionals and parents.

In this conversation, Dr. Mumper shares her journey from conventional allopathic training to a root‑cause, functional medicine approach. She and Dr. Bane explore the rising rates of chronic illness and neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, and uncover the pivotal roles of inflammation, gut health, and nutrition—starting as early as pregnancy. Together, they reveal how these factors influence a child’s long‑term health trajectory and what a more holistic, scientifically grounded vision of pediatric care can offer.

Whether you’re a parent, clinician, or simply curious about integrative approaches to children’s health, this episode offers deep insight, practical wisdom, and a refreshing sense of hope.

Resources

MUMPER’S PUBLICATIONS

Journal Articles

Reduction in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Self-Injurious Behavior with Saccharomyces boulardii in a Child with Autism: A Case Report, Integrative Medicine, Vol 17, No. 6, December 2018
“Can awareness of medical pathophysiology in autism lead to primary care autism prevention strategies?” The North American Journal of Medicine and Science July 2013 Vol 6 No 3
“A call for action: recognizing and treating medical problems of children with autism” The North American Journal of Medicine and Science July 2012, Vol 5, No 3
“Hyperbaric oxygen treatment in autism spectrum disorders” Medical Gas Research 15 June 2012, 2:16
“Urinary porphyrin excretion in neurotypical and autistic children” Environ Health Perspect 118(10), 2010.
“Hyperbaric treatment for children with autism: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial” BMC Pediatrics Vol. 9, No. 21, 03/2009
” Neurodevelopmental disorders, maternal rh-negativity, and rho(d) immune globulins: a multi-center assessment” Neuro Endocrinology Letters 29(2), 03/2008
“Low natural killercell cytotoxic activity in autism: the role of glutathione, IL-2, and IL-15”, Journal Neuroimmunology 12/15/08
“The effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on oxidative stress, inflammation, and symptoms in children with autism: an open-label pilot study” BMC Pediatrics Vol. 7(36), 11/2007
“Hats off to Helmets” Contemporary Pediatrics 14(10): 123-134, 10/1997

Textbook Chapters

Allergy & Immunology, BRS Pediatrics, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2004
Behavioral & Developmental Pediatrics, BRS Pediatrics, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2004

Book Forwards:

The Unprescription for Autism, Lintala, Amacom, 2016
The ADHD and Autism Nutritional Supplement Handbook, Laake and Compart, 2013
Hope for the Autism Spectrum, Kirk, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2008

Book Chapters

Methylation, The ADHD and Autism Nutritional Supplement Handbook, Laake and Compart, 2013

Book

Kids and COVID: Costly Mistakes that Must Never Happen Again May 20, 2025

Journal Reviewer: American College of Physicians and Surgeons

Translational Psychiatry

Journal of Translational Medicine

REFERENCES FOR ACETAMINOPHEN

Parker, William, Chi Dang Hornik, Staci Bilbo, Zoie E. Holzknecht, Lauren Gentry, Rasika Rao, Shu S. Lin, Martha R. Herbert, and Cynthia D. Nevison. "The role of oxidative stress, inflammation and acetaminophen exposure from birth to early childhood in the induction of autism." Journal of International Medical Research 45, no. 2 (2017): 407-438.

Parker, William, Lauren G. Anderson, John P. Jones, Rachel Anderson, Lauren Williamson, Dillan Bono-Lunn, and Zacharoula Konsoula. "The dangers of acetaminophen for neurodevelopment outweigh scant evidence for long-term benefits." Children 11, no. 1 (2023): 44.

Patel, M. Vishnu, Caitlin Travers, Paul T. Corrigan, Rachel Anderson, John P. Jones III, Zacharoula Konsoula, Lauren Williamson, R. Randal Bollinger, and William Parker. "Evidence That Acetaminophen Triggers Autism in Susceptible Individuals Has Been Ignored and Mishandled for More than a Decade." (2025).

Zhao, Lisa, John P. Jones III, Lauren G. Anderson, Zacharoula Konsoula, Cynthia D. Nevison, Kathryn J. Reissner, and William Parker. "Acetaminophen causes neurodevelopmental injury in susceptible babies and children: No valid rationale for controversy." Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics 67, no. 3 (2023): 126.

Chu, Stephanie, Seth Woodfin, Emily Bayliss, Merritt Smith, Alan Fulp, Ersilia Mirabelli, and William Moore. "Acetaminophen’s Role in Autism and ADHD: A Mitochondrial Perspective." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 26, no. 17 (2025): 8585.

Khan, Farhana Yaqoob, Gargi Kabiraj, Maryam A. Ahmed, Mona Adam, Sai Prakash Mannuru, Vaiishnavi Ramesh, Ahmed Shahzad, Phani Chaduvula, and Safeera Khan. "A systematic review of the link between autism spectrum disorder and acetaminophen: a mystery to resolve." Cureus 14, no. 7 (2022).

Damkier, Per, Erika B. Gram, Michael Ceulemans, Alice Panchaud, Brian Cleary, Christina Chambers, Corinna Weber-Schoendorfer et al. "Acetaminophen in pregnancy and attention-deficit and hyperactivity

disorder and autism spectrum disorder." Obstetrics & Gynecology 145, no. 2 (2025): 168-176.