Reasons for referrals of children and adolescents to alternative medicine in southern Israel.

OBJECTIVES

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has increased over recent years. Little is known about the use of CAM by children and adolescents. The study objectives were to characterize reasons for referrals and types of therapy for children and adolescents who turned to a CAM clinic.

DESIGN

An observational study with prospective collection of data through interviews with the parents conducted by the clinic triage physician using questionnaires.

SUBJECTS

Parents of children and adolescents who came for treatment to a CAM clinic.

INTERVENTION

None.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The medical reasons for using CAM.

RESULTS

The parents of 86 (55%) of the children who came for CAM in the study period, November 2005 to June 2006, participated in the study (54 males, 62.8%). The mean patient age was 6.75 years (median, 4.79). The most common reasons for CAM were immunological and allergy problems (30%), infectious diseases (21.4%), and attention deficit and concentration disorders (14.6%). The most common treatment modalities for children and adolescents were homeopathy (33.7%), reflexology (29.7%), and acupuncture (18.8%). Most of the immunological problems (58.1%) and the infectious diseases (66.7%) were referred for homeopathy, and most of the attention deficit and concentration disorders (66.7%) were treated by reflexology. Nonmedical reasons for CAM included disappointment with the results of conventional treatment; the desire for effective, innocuous, supplemental therapy; and previous experience among parents, friends, and family members.

CONCLUSIONS

Demand for CAM therapy for children is driven by universal factors. CAM can be an adjuvant therapy for children with common chronic pediatric problems.