Positive Health Online

Abstract

WILSON and colleagues, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, kumanan.wilson@uhn.on.ca, have characterized the children and adolescents who attend a naturopathic clinic in Canada.

Background

Conventional medicine practitioners have expressed concern about the potential for unregulated CAM therapies to cause harm, the sometimes-uncertain cost-benefit ratios associated with these therapies, and the possibility that some CAM providers might advise against established conventional therapies, such as vaccination. These concerns are heightened with respect to the paediatric use of CAM products. The aim of this study was to address this issue by describing the demographic characteristics, reasons for presentation, use of CAM products, and vaccination status of children presenting for naturopathic assessment.

Methodology

Data on age, gender, chief presenting complaints reported by parents, CAM product use at presentation, vaccination status, and reactions to vaccination of all children under 18 that presented at a naturopathic clinic over a 4-months period were obtained. Logistic regression analyses was conducted to identify factors associated with both CAM product use and vaccination status.

Results

A total of 482 children presented with a mean age of 6.5 years. The most common complaints were skin disorders (23%), gastrointestinal complaints (17%), and psychiatric/behavioural disorders (15%). 35% of children were using CAM products at presentation. Vitamins were the most commonly used products (34.6%), followed by herbal remedies (14.9%), oil blends/fats (7.2%), minerals (5.6%), probiotics (4.5%), and homeopathic remedies (3.7%). 8.9% of the children had not been vaccinated; possible vaccine-associated adverse events were reported for 27% of those who had been vaccinated. Partial or unvaccinated status was associated with younger age, attending the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine for advice regarding vaccination, and greater use of CAM products.

Conclusion

Children are high-level consumers of CAM products and have lower rates of vaccination than population averages. The conventional medicine community needs to work with naturopaths to address public health concerns in this population.

References

Wilson K, Busse JW, Gilchrist A, Vohra S, Boon H, Mills E. Characteristics of pediatric and adolescent patients attending a naturopathic college clinic in Canada. Pediatrics 115 (3): e338-343, Mar 2005.