The Ontology of Care in Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction: Toward an Integrated Pedagogical-Clinical Paradigm in Medical Humanities
Abstract
This article proposes an integrated clinical-pedagogical paradigm for the management of pediatric Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction (DGBIs) and related functional somatic conditions. Drawing from clinical data and conceptual frameworks presented at the Pediatric Mind-Body Medicine Symposium (Harvard Medical School, 2026), we examine how the bidirectional communication of the gut-brain axis serves as an embodied language of childhood distress. Rather than claiming a definitive resolution to the metaphysical problem of Cartesian dualism, this paper explores how multidisciplinary care—integrating cognitive-behavioral approaches, expressive therapies, and trauma-informed pedagogy—bridges the historical gap between somatic treatment and psychological validation. By analyzing the neurobiology of allostasis and the epigenetics of resilience, we outline a pedagogical framework of care that empowers young patients to regain narrative agency over their bodies.
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