Related Experiment Videos
Chiropractic care for children
1Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass, USA.
Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
|April 18, 2000
Summary
Chiropractors see many children, but their pediatric care practices, including immunizations and fever management, often deviate from medical guidelines. Further research is needed to assess the safety and efficacy of pediatric chiropractic care.
Area of Science:
- Chiropractic care
- Pediatric health
- Public health
Background:
- Chiropractic care is a growing field, with a notable number of pediatric patients.
- Understanding the scope and nature of pediatric chiropractic practice is essential for public health and patient safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the practice characteristics of chiropractors.
- To evaluate the pediatric care approaches of chiropractors, including their views on immunizations and management of common pediatric conditions.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional, descriptive survey was conducted among 150 licensed chiropractors in the Boston metropolitan area.
- Data collected included demographics, practice characteristics, fee structures, and approaches to pediatric care, analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Main Results:
- Of 90 respondents, 11% of weekly patient visits were for children and adolescents.
- Seventy percent recommended herbs/supplements; 30% recommended childhood immunizations.
- 17% would manage a febrile neonate themselves instead of referring.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric chiropractic care represents a significant patient population, with an estimated 420,000 visits in Boston in 1998.
- Pediatric chiropractic practices frequently diverge from established medical guidelines.
- National studies are crucial to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of chiropractic care for children.