BECOME THE EXPERT PARENT YOUR CHILD NEEDS                                                                              

You may be here because your child's development, behaviour or wellbeing is causing concern — or because your teenager is struggling and the usual routes haven't given you answers. Here is what Dr Barendse believes after 30 years of this work: no one can see your child the way you do, and no one is better placed to help them thrive. Nutrigenomic Medicine exists to put the science into your hands, so you can lead the way — and become your child's thrivemaker.

THE DEVELOPING YEARS MATTER MOST

The first two decades of life are when the brain and body develop fastest, and development continues well into the twenties. Each of us carries common and rare variations in our genes, some linked to differences in development, learning, mood and physical health. But genes are only part of the story. We now understand 'epigenetics' — the way genes are 'expressed'. Think of a note played on a piano: it can be dialled up or down in volume and tone. In the same way, gene expression is continually shaped by nutrition, lifestyle and environment — and you, the parent, shape that environment every day. We can't rewrite the genes a child inherited, but together we can influence how they are expressed.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF HELP

Our programmes are built around you, not around a clinic timetable. Instead of handing your child's care to someone else, you stay in the driving seat — informed, equipped and supported. Through Nutrigenomic Medicine we:

•      help you understand your child's unique biology, so choices feel clear rather than overwhelming;

•      translate fast-moving science into practical, drug-free steps you can take at home;

•      guide and support you as you put an individualised plan into action, alongside any care your child already receives.

It's not just any body — it's your child's body, and you are their greatest advocate.





Programmes built around you

  • Practical, parent-led pathways - not one-off appointments

  • The understanding to make confident choices for your child

  • Guidance from someone who has walked it with families worldwide

future focused science, made usable

  • Drawing on epigenetics, biochemistry and functional medicine
  • Translating complex research on development and neurodiversity into everyday action
  • Harnessing the health-giving heritage of real food and nutrients

for your child's best possible future

  • The vision: every child free to reach their full potential
  • Parents empowered, not sidelined
  • The best possible quality of life, at every age and stage

thrivechild: where it all comes together                                                                     

For families of neurodivergent children, THRIVEChild is our flagship programme — a structured, supported pathway that brings the whole approach together and helps you become the expert parent your child needs. Heal, grow, thrive.

Explore THRIVEChild

meet dr barendse                                                                

Nutrigenomic Medicine is the life's work of Dr Barendse — a PhD health psychologist, researcher and pioneer in the field of nutrigenomic medicine. Over more than 30 years she has worked as a clinician, consultant, researcher and advisor across complex health systems around the world — from adult mental health to children whose development has stalled or gone off course. She has contributed to global health research, published scientific papers, served on advisory boards, and worked to bring the patient's voice, and quality of life, to the heart of real-world health decisions.

She created the THRIVEChild programme because she was tired of seeing children's potential overlooked and parents left to work it out alone. That conviction — that children can heal, grow and thrive far beyond what the system expects, when we meet their unique biology with the right support — is what Nutrigenomic Medicine is built on.

What began as a single centre has grown into a global, virtual hub, guiding families around the world — wherever they are, in their own homes, at their own pace.

It's my privilege to walk beside you as we begin. — Dr Barendse

Meet Dr Barendse