Complementary and Alternative Therapy Use in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Complementary Medicine Research
• Public Health

Background:

• Cerebral palsy (CP) affects children's motor function and development.
• Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is frequently explored by families of children with CP.
• Understanding CAM usage patterns is crucial for comprehensive pediatric care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in children with cerebral palsy (CP) in Canada.
• To identify demographic, clinical, and care-related factors associated with CAM use in this population.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study utilizing data from the Canadian CP Registry.
• Analysis of associations between CAM use and regional, socioeconomic, CP phenotype, and parental perception variables.
• Statistical methods included Chi-square analyses, odds ratios (OR), 95% confidence intervals (CI), and Mann-Whitney U tests.

Main Results:

• 27% of 313 families reported CAM use in the past year.
• CAM use was associated with residence in Western Canada, two-parent households, ataxic/hypotonic or dyskinetic CP subtypes, and greater motor impairment.
• Parental perception of family-centered care (MPOC-56 scores) was not significantly associated with CAM use.

Conclusions:

• Physicians should be aware of CAM therapies used by children with CP.
• Consideration of CAM efficacy, risks, and equitable access is important for clinical practice.
• Further research into evidence-based CAM interventions for CP is warranted.