Alternative medicine for children on the rise
THREE top doctors are urging that complementary and alternative medicine therapies used frequently by children are scientifically tested.
"As doctors, we are finding that the use of complementary and alternative medicine therapies in children is not an occasional fringe activity and thus it cannot be easily or safely ignored," said Professor Alf Nicholson, Dr Michael O'Neill, and Dr Stanley Koe.
They said that the use of such therapies is increasing in the developed world. "The onus is therefore to subject this form of therapy to scientific testing and to be able to put definitive regulations and safety standards in place for these therapies."
Writing in the Irish Medical Journal, the trio said that despite the increase in use, many doctors are largely uninterested in the topic and often cannot give informed advice when families raise the issue.
They said that by definition, complementary medicine is used in conjunction with conventional medicine, whereas alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine.
The authors said it is suspected that the use of such therapies is increasing in paediatrics but the figures are sketchy.
A number of complementary and alternative medicine therapies are generally not accepted by the medical community due to a lack of sufficient evidence-based assessment.
Complementary and alternative medicine therapies are used for a variety of conditions, including headaches, colic, constipation, common colds, asthma, urinary tract infections and bedwetting.
"We owe it to our patients ... to be much more informed on the topic," said Professor Nicholson and and Dr Koe who are based at the Children's University Hospital in Temple Street, and Dr O'Neill who is based at Mayo General Hospital.
fdillon@herald.ie
- Fiona Dillon
