title: Patterns of complementary and alternative medicine use in children with common neurological conditions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent literature suggests that one in nine children in the United States uses some type of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Children with challenging neurological conditions such as headache, migraine, and seizures may seek CAM in their attempts at self-care. Our objective was to describe CAM use in children with these conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared use of CAM among children aged 3 to 17 years with and without common neurological conditions (headaches, migraines, seizures) where CAM might plausibly play a role in their self-management using the 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with common neurological conditions reported significantly more CAM use compared to the children without these conditions (24.0% vs 12.6%, P<.0001). Compared to other pediatric CAM users, children with neurological conditions report similarly high use of biological therapies and significantly higher use of mind-body techniques (38.6% vs 20.5%, P<.007). Of the mind-body techniques, deep breathing (32.5%), meditation (15.1%), and progressive relaxation (10.1%) were used most frequently.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  About one in four children with common neurological conditions use CAM. The nature of CAM use in this population, as well as its risks and benefits in neurological disease, deserve further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Mayo Medical School, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (Dr Treat), United States.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Treat
authors.affiliation: Healthcare Policy and Research Unit, Mayo Clinic (Ms Liesinger), United States.
authors.forename: Juliette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liesinger
authors.affiliation: HealthPartners Institute for Education and Research, Minneapolis (Dr Ziegenfuss), United States.
authors.forename: Jeanette Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Ziegenfuss
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Ethics Research Unit, Mayo Clinic, (Ms Humeniuk), United States.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Humeniuk
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic (Drs Prasad), United States.
authors.forename: Kavita
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.affiliation: Healthcare Policy and Research Unit, Mayo Clinic (Dr Tilburt), United States.
authors.forename: Jon C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Tilburt
keywords: Complementary and alternative medicine; headache; migraine; mind-body medicine; pediatric neurology; seizure
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