Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health Also Included In: Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine Article Date: 14 Jan 2013 - 11:00 PST

Current ratings for: Alternative Medicine Use High Among Pediatric Patients

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In the treatment of chronic illnesses, it is not uncommon for people to use other remedies including herbal, homeopathic, or vitamins that have the potential to interact adversely with doctor-recommended treatment.

A study, conducted by the Universities of Ottawa and Alberta in Canada, examined the alternative treatment methods of 926 families at 10 separate clinics in Edmonton and Ottawa.

Parents of kids were asked to complete surveys in the waiting room before entering for their child's appointment. The children being treated at these clinics were being seen for health conditions in one of the following areas: cardiology, neurology, oncology, gastroenterology, or respiratory health.

Researchers found that nearly 71 percent of the pediatric patients used alternative medicine at the Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton, and 42 percent at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa.

Nearly 20 percent of the families surveyed admitted they had not informed their physician or pharmacist about using alternative and prescription medications together.

Sunita Vohra, a researcher with the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta, and lead investigator on the study said:

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Alternative Medicine Use High Among Pediatric Patients