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The use of alternative therapies by children with asthma: a brief report
L Andrews1, S Lokuge, M Sawyer
1Faculty of Medicine, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Insights
Many children with asthma use alternative therapies like massage and diet changes. Pediatricians should discuss these options with parents for better asthma management.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Background:
- Asthma is a common chronic respiratory condition in children.
- The use of alternative therapies is prevalent in pediatric populations.
- Understanding these practices is crucial for comprehensive patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the types and frequency of alternative therapies used by children with asthma.
- To assess the prevalence of alternative therapy use in pediatric asthma patients.
Main Methods:
- A consecutive series of 51 children (aged 1-6 years) with asthma were recruited.
- Parents completed questionnaires detailing their child's use of alternative therapies.
- Data was collected from patients attending a children's hospital.
Main Results:
- Approximately 55% of children with asthma utilized alternative therapies.
- Commonly used therapies included massage, relaxation techniques, dietary changes, and vitamin supplements.
- No significant differences were observed in patient demographics or asthma characteristics between users and non-users of alternative therapies.
Conclusions:
- A significant percentage of pediatric asthma patients use alternative therapies.
- Healthcare providers should proactively inquire about and discuss alternative therapy use.
- Open communication can improve doctor-patient relationships and enhance asthma management strategies.
Objective:
To identify the nature and prevalence of alternative therapies used by children with asthma attending a children's hospital.
Methodology:
Subjects consisted of a consecutive series of 51 children with asthma aged 1-6 years who were attending the Women's and Children's Hospital, South Australia. Parents of the children completed a questionnaire describing the use of alternative therapies by the children.
Results:
Approximately 55% of children used alternative therapies for asthma management. Therapies used most commonly were massage, relaxation exercises, diet therapy and vitamins. There was no significant difference in the age, asthma severity, length of time since diagnosis or presence of another illness amongst children who did or did not use alternative therapies.
Conclusions:
A substantial proportion of children with asthma who attend paediatric clinics use alternative therapies. Paediatricians should be aware of this and be prepared to discuss alternative therapies with parents. This may facilitate more open doctor-patient relationships and better management of children's asthma.