Pediatric and Adolescent Integrative Medicine.
Dr. Pendergrast has been practicing Pediatrics with a specialty in Adolescent Medicine since 1987. His passion for helping children and teens thrive and grow into healthy young adults was energized and focused by training in Integrative Medicine. He is an Approved Consultant of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, core faculty of the National Pediatric Hypnosis Training Institute, has taught pediatric hypnosis for health professionals internationally, and has directed the Pediatric Mind-Body Clinic at Augusta University since 2003, for kids with chronic pain or other difficult medical issues. He completed the Fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine, University of Arizona, in 2005. He has extensive training and experience in botanical medicine and nutritional medicine, and cautiously recommends natural remedies for kids with safety as the first principle. He does not practice functional medicine. He has been recognized as an excellent diagnostician, listens carefully to kids and parents, is not in a hurry, and is happy to see kids for whom conventional medical approaches have not been working.
Dr. Pendergrast was born in Atlanta, studied music as an undergraduate at Furman University, obtained his medical degree at the Medical College of Georgia, completed a residency in Pediatrics and a Fellowship in Adolescent Medicine at the University of Mississippi, and a Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins University. As a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the Medical College of Georgia, he received the Teacher of the Year award in 2020 among other teaching awards. He continues his work in the academic medical setting as a part time retiree, providing primary care to teens, while also maintaining a small practice of integrative medicine consultations for young adults in North Augusta, SC. (www.csraholistichealth.com). He joined the George Washington Center for Integrative Medicine in 2022 and will be collaborating with the entire team to provide the best care for kids. He will be doing consultations by telemedicine only and not primary care.
When Dr. Pendergrast is not at work, he enjoys life with his wife Gail, gardening, cooking, early morning walks, traveling, watching birds, nature photography, and music. They have four adult children.
Testimonials
“Parent of a Teen Patient – 2015
Dr. Pendergrast, you were such a Godsend for us – I feel our daughter is ever so much better off without all the chemicals running through her and she’s much happier taking things she feels her body really needs. It’s allowed her to be much more involved in what goes into her body.”
From the mother of a 3 year old, June 2022:
“it has officially been 6 weeks today since food sensitivity testing … showed he had a severe sensitivity to beef, dairy, eggs, a few different beans/peas, and needed to be on a rotation diet for a handful of other foods/spices.
He has been remarkably better since his diet change and his environmental allergies are so far being kept under control with just a little Zyrtec. He was so sick 6 weeks ago he was throwing up daily, had fluid coming out of his ears after weeks of antibiotics… A huge thank you for helping navigate us thru this and finally getting us some answers.”
From Kelli Ann, 2018.
“Dr. P ACTUALLY listens and CARES! He does not dismiss you, he makes you feel HEARD. He is a knowledgeable doctor who takes a whole person approach to your care. I suffer from several autoimmune issues and Dr. P is working closely with me to find a way to make me feel normal again and he will work tirelessly to make sure that you are on the right path! I love that he looks at your nutrition, mental health, spiritual health, and also uses aspects of traditional western medicine combined with his holistic approach.
I had gotten to a point of feeling hopeless before seeing Dr. P and now, I feel like I have hope again.”
