Survey: Many Kids Get Alternative Treatments

Many children with medical conditions are using alternative therapies, a study suggests. Researchers surveyed parents of children who got medical care at specialty clinics in Canada. All of the children had long-term conditions. They included epilepsy, asthma, heart problems and cancer. About 71% of children at a clinic in western Canada used some type of complementary or alternative medicine (CAM). About 42% of those at a central Canada clinic used CAM. The most common CAM products used were multivitamins and minerals (85%). About 16% used herbal products. Nearly 12% used homeopathic products. The CAM practice used most often was massage (39%). More than 20% used chiropractic. About 16% each used relaxation and aromatherapy. The journal Pediatrics published the study online. MedPage Today wrote about it January 14.