Many of us seek complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) remedies. But how many of us look to CAM remedies for our children?

It was recently reported that nearly 12% of all children in the United States have used some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Based on the National Health Interview Survey of 2007, a group of researchers at Harvard Medical School gathered information on CAM use among more than 9,000 children younger than 18 years. Based on these data, the authors estimated that greater than 8 Million children below the age of 18 years used some CAM remedy during the year these data were collected (2007).

Their findings were published in the February issue of Pediatrics, 2010.

This study focused on chiropractic and osteopathy, homeopathy, yoga, herbal and natural products, and other similar CAM remedies. They did not include common supplements such as vitamins.

Like Parent, Like Child

Not surprisingly, they reported that the used of CAM among children was much more likely among children whose parents also used CAM remedies: like parent, like child.

CAM for Chronic Illnesses

CAM use was also more likely among these groups of children:

• Children with multiple and complicated heart conditions
• Adolescents aged 12-17 years
• Children for whom conventional medical care had been either delayed or avoided due to cost
• Children with chronic conditions such as pain, anxiety, stress, and sinusitis

The use of CAM in those with chronic conditions often represents a trial from patients who are disillusioned or frustrated with the lack of relief from conventional therapies.

Increased Prescription Drug Use Associated with Increased CAM Use

Use of CAM remedies was also associated with the use of prescription medications.

In other words, these people are more likely to be seeking ANY remedy that can help them. Think about the groups listed above – those with chronic illnesses are looking for anything that can help bring them to health.

Dr. Birdee, the lead author of the study, commented that this association raises the potential for drug-herbal interactions. He noted that only about half of adult patients report their use of herbal and dietary supplements to their physicians.

Better Communication for Safety

Many physicians forget to ask about use of herbs or supplements by children. Many parents forget to mention supplements that their children are taking. Thus, it bears reminding everyone that we should be communicating our use of supplements to our doctors, and we doctors should be remembering to ask.

The authors of the study concluded that more information is needed on CAM remedies, especially in children. Studies are being conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health. There website is an excellent resource.

Points for Parents:

• Treat herbal and other nutritional supplements and vitamins with the same care and caution that you would for any other medication:
  • Store them out of reach of your children
  • Do not alter the dosing – use as any other medication: more is not necessarily better
  • Be cautious if pregnant or nursing – some medications, including herbs or supplements, can affect the developing fetus or nursing infant
  • Confirm the child’s diagnosis: you don’t want to be treating the wrong disorder, regardless of the remedy; unless you are a physician, avoid the temptation to diagnose
  • If your child experiences any reaction associated with conventional or CAM remedies, stop its use and contact your child’s physician

Resources:

The website for the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health is an excellent resource for further information:  http://nccam.nih.gov/

Birdee, Phillips, Davis, Gardiner. Factors associated with pediatric use of complementary and alternative medicine. Pediatrics. 125: 249-256; 2010.

Breuner. Complementary medicine in pediatrics: a review of acupuncture, homeopathy, massage, and chiropractic therapies. Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care. 32: 353-384; 2002.

Committee on Children with Disabilities, American Academy of Pediatrics. Counseling families who choose complementary and alternative medicine for their child with chronic illness or disability. Pediatrics. 107: 598-601; 2001.

Mehta, Gardiner, Phillips, McCarthy. Herbal and dietary supplement disclosure to health care providers by individuals with chronic conditions. J Alternative Complementary Medicine. 14: 1263-1269; 2008.

Faust. A few words about being natural: http://www.boogordoctor.com/2010/06/a-few-words-about-being-natural/.

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Hi, I’m Russell Faust, author of this medical education blog.

Image: Russell Faust

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Homeopathy

A system of therapy based on the belief that “like heals like.”  The belief is that disease can be treated with drugs (in minute doses) that produce the same symptoms in healthy people as the disease itself.  According to homeopathy, symptoms are the body’s way of fighting disease.  Homeopathy teaches that symptoms are to be encouraged.

Homeopathy was developed by the German physician, Samuel Hahnemann in the late 18^th century.  It was further developed and popularized by the American physician James Tyler Kent.  Hahnemann  and his followers approached treatments in a holistic way, meaning that they treated the whole body and spirit, not simply focus on the local disease process.

Naturopathy

A system of therapy based on preventive care, on the use of heat, water, light, air, and massage as primary therapies for disease.  Some Naturopaths use no medications of any kind;  some use herbal remedies only.  A few are licensed to also prescribe medications.

Naturopathy is an American invention, founded at the turn of the 20^th century.  By the early 1900’s more than 20 naturopathic medical schools existed, and naturopathic physicians were licensed in most states.

As practiced today, naturopathic medicine incorporates traditional natural remedies – herbal remedies, nutrition, homeopathy, acupuncture, traditional Asian medicine, hydrotherapy, and others.  Naturopathic practices are increasingly supported by results from clinical trials supported by NIH.  Bastyr University of Naturopathic Medicine was the first naturopathic institution with research to be funded by NIH.

Overall, naturopathy focuses on the use of nontoxic, natural therapies.  The tenets of Naturopathy seem worthy:

• First, do no harm
• Use the healing power of nature
• Treat the cause of the disease, not just the symptoms
• Treat the whole person
• Educate the patient about their health
• Focus on preventing disease

Osteopathy

A system of therapy that emphasizes the role of the musculoskeletal system in health and disease.  Osteopathy began in the United States in 1874; the term “osteopathy” was coined by Andrew Taylor Still.  Still founded the American School of Osteopathy in Missouri in 1892.  The state of Missouri offered to allow his school to grant the MD degree, but Still insisted on retaining the DO (Doctor of Osteopathy) degree.

Osteopaths combine the ability to prescribe medications with manipulative medicine.  The goal is resolution of somatic dysfunction in an attempt to aid the body’s own recuperative ability.  This involves manual treatment, or manipulation, of the musculoskeletal system.  Throughout the 20^th century however, osteopathy in the United States has moved closer to mainstream medicine in its practice.  Recent surveys reveal that the majority of Doctors of Osteopathic medicine (DO’s) practice medicine without manual manipulation.

Osteopathy is practiced around the world, including the entire European Union, Israel, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

Chiropractic

Chiropractic is a system of healthcare that focuses on diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine.  The underlying tenet is that disorders of the spine affect overall health through the nervous system.  The principal therapy involves manual manipulation of the spine and joints.

Chiropractic was founded in the United States in the late 1890’s by D. Palmer, and was further developed into the 20^th century by his son.  Chiropractors faced heavy opposition by organized, conventional medicine in the US.  Thousands of chiropractors were prosecuted for practicing medicine without a license, some were jailed.  Persecution continued until a landmark legal case against the American Medical Association (Wilk v AMA) that found that the the AMA had engaged in restraint of trade.

Whereas Chiropractic has gradually gained acceptance and legitimacy over the last couple decades, the growth of evidence-based medicine poses a challenge to practices that have little research to back up their methods.  Further, competition has grown from other alternative practitioners.  As a result, many Chiropractors have supplemented their chiropractic practices with additional, alternative medicine methods.

Ayurveda

Or Ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to the Indian subcontinent.   Historically, the development of Ayurveda was influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism.  It is now practiced in the rest of the world as a form of alternative or complementary medicine.  Translation from Sanskrit, Ayurveda means life science or life knowledge.  Ayurvedic medicine includes the use of herbal remedies, massage, dietary routines, and yoga.

As with Naturopathy, Homeopathy, and Chiropractic, the safety and efficacy of many of the postulates of Ayurveda have yet to be proven through clinical trials.  NIH, through its National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, currently funds ongoing research into Ayurvedic practices.

Conventional Medicine

Conventional, or “Western” medicine, was labeled “Allopathy” by Hahnemann in the 18^th century.  As you see above, he coined the term Homeopathy.  He meant the term Allopathy in a pejorative or derogatory way, implying that Homeopathy was superior to Allopathy.  Due to this history, conventional medical doctors (MD’s) rarely use the term allopathic medicine.

We all recognize conventional medicine here in this country as the practice of medicine that is most widely practiced.  We also all recognize that there are many challenges with the modern conventional practice of medicine, from crazy costs, to “cures” that are worse than the disease, and many of us are painfully familiar with the specialist who treats only the disease but fails to treat the patient as a whole person.

As people have become more familiar with the limitations of “conventional medicine,” we have turned to alternatives.  Many of these are listed above.  It has been estimated that upwards of 60% of us now see a practitioner who practices some form of alternative medicine, from Ayurveda to Chiropractic and beyond.

Evolution

It is an unfortunate human trait that the practitioners of these various medical philosophies consider their own superior to the others.  Moreover, many look on the other systems of therapy with disdain, with contempt, and can be dismissive of patients who mention having seen a practitioner of another philosophy.

How many of us have seen our doctor roll their eyes when we mention seeing a Chiropractor, or mention taking an herbal remedy, or some other alternative therapy?

Some of us (physicians) are fortunate enough to evolve.  Me?  I’m still an alternative Neanderthal, but I am slowly evolving, slowly integrating.

Integration

Look around: As the practice of medicine evolves into the 21^st century, the most successful practitioners are those who integrate the best of these philosophies.

These practitioners have been around for years, perhaps decades, but as patients take greater ownership of their health, these practitioners are in greater and greater demand.  As it should be.

It is these practitioners who are my role models.  Whereas I may stumble in my attempts, I aspire to bring to my own medical practice the best of “conventional” and “alternative” medicine, to bring my patients to their very best possible health.

• To prevent disease
• To eliminate disease
• To maintain health
• To control disease when necessary
• To treat the whole person
• To educate the patient, to empower them in their healthcare decisions

So, what pathway to health does YOUR healer follow?  Please share your experiences below.

I know, I haven’t mentioned many other healing philosophies, traditional Chinese Medicine for example.  Perhaps I’ll devote an entire post to that some time …

To download a free PDF file of this article, go to the download page here: http://wp.me/PR4iB-s7

Thanks for visiting, and see you here again.  I appreciate your comments and questions.  Keep ‘em coming.  Please, “be excellent to one another.”

Best of health and success to you and your families.

Until next time, remember … you can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can’t pick your friend’s nose (unless you’re a boogor doctor :~D)

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Credit: The image of Chinese medicine bottles from http://www.flickr.com/photos/moriza/49897087/