The use of complementary and alternative medicine among pediatric patients

The overall objective of this research was to obtain information through the use of open-ended interviews, about the diagnosis and treatment of children who had cancer. The interviews, completed with 29 parents whose children had been diagnosed with cancer within the previous 5-year period, were designed to allow mothers and fathers to share their experiences about childhood cancer. From this process, many salient issues were identified by the interviewed parents, one of these issues being that of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among children being treated for cancer. Analysis of the CAM theme resulted in the identification of the following subthemes: (1) parents' opposition to CAM utilization; (2) parents' support of CAM use with their children with cancer; and (3) physicians' views of CAM as perceived by parents. Implications for the use or nonuse of CAM among pediatric populations will be discussed.