Objective.- To determine the prevalence and reasons for complementary and a
lternative medicine (CAM) use among children in primary pediatric care prac
tice in the Washington, DC area.
Design.- Cross-sectional survey of parents at 4 Children's National Medical
Center Pediatric Research Network (PRN) practices from July 1998 through N
ovember 1998. Survey information included demographics, child health proble
ms, satisfaction with health care, and CAM use over the past year.
Results.- Parents completed 348 surveys. Forty percent (138) of parents wer
e CAM users themselves, whereas 21% (72) had treated their child with CAM o
ver the past year. Factors positively associated with child CAM use include
d parents' use of CAM (P < .0001); greater parent age (P = .0005); greater
child age (P = .001); and complaints of frequent respiratory illnesses, ast
hma, headaches, and nosebleeds. Ethnicity and parental education were not a
ssociated with child CAM use. Over 50% of pediatric CAM users reported spec
ific vitamin supplementation, whereas 25% used other nutritional supplement
s or elimination diets, and over 40% used herbal therapies. Thirty-two perc
ent of CAM users had visited a CAM practitioner; 81% of pediatric CAM users
would have liked to discuss it with their pediatrician, but only 36% did s
o.
Conclusion.- Treatment of children with CAM is common and is frequently und
ertaken by parents without the knowledge or advice of their pediatrician.