title: CAM use in pediatric neurology: an exploration of concurrent use with conventional medicine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have found that up to 60% of children with neurologic conditions have tried complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the use of CAM among patients presenting to neurology clinics at two academic centers in Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey instrument was developed to inquire about use of CAM products and therapies, including reasons for use, perceived helpfulness, and concurrent use with conventional medicine, and administered to patients or their parents/guardians at the Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton and the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Ottawa.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall CAM use at the Stollery was 78%, compared to 48% at CHEO. The most common CAM products used were multi-vitamins (84%), vitamin C (37%), homeopathic remedies (24%), and fish oil/omega 3 s (22%). The most common CAM practices used were massage (47%), chiropractic (37%), faith healing (18%), aromatherapy (16%), homeopathy (16%), and relaxation (16%). Many patients used CAM products at the same time as conventional medicine but just over half (57%) discussed this concurrent use with their physician.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CAM use is common in pediatric neurology patients and most respondents felt that it was helpful, with few or no harms associated. However, this use is often undisclosed, increasing possibility of interactions with conventional drugs. We urge clinicians to inquire about CAM use during routine history taking at every patient visit. Parents would clearly like more information about CAM from their specialty clinics; such information would be easier to share if more primary data were available about the safety and effectiveness of commonly used therapies.
authors.affiliation: CARE Program, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Galicia-Connolly
authors.affiliation: CARE Program, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bateman
authors.affiliation: Palladian Health, West Seneca, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dagenais
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pediatrics and of Epidemiology & Community Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Tammy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Clifford
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Lola
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baydala
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: W James
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: CARE Program, PedCAM Network, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry and School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Sunita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vohra
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000293:Adolescent; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D009864:Ontario; D010372:Pediatrics
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