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CAM (Complimentary, Alternative Medicine) and Children

A wide range of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies are used in children, including herbs and dietary supplements, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic care, naturopathy, homeopathy.

Massage is the pressing, rubbing, and moving muscles and other soft tissues of the body, primarily by using the hands and fingers. The aim is to increase the flow of blood and oxygen to the massaged area.
Acupuncture is a family of procedures that originated in traditional Chinese medicine. It is the stimulation of specific points on the body by a variety of techniques, including the insertion of thin metal needles though the skin. It is intended to remove blockages in the flow of qi (energy, life force) and restore and maintain health.
Naturopathy is a whole medical system that originated in Europe. Naturopathy aims to support the body's ability to heal itself through the use of dietary and lifestyle changes together with CAM therapies such as herbs, massage, and joint manipulation.
Homeopathy is a whole medical system that originated in Europe. Homeopathy seeks to stimulate the body's ability to heal itself by giving very small doses of highly diluted substances that in larger doses would produce illness or symptoms (an approach called "like cures like").

Coming up next: A fact sheet from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) that offers information for parents who are thinking about using a CAM therapy for their child.

Safety and CAM use for Children

Safety of Childhood CAM Use Few high-quality studies have examined how CAM therapies may affect young people, and results from studies in adults do not necessarily apply to children. Children are not small adults. Their immune and central nervous systems are not fully developed, which can make them respond to treatments differently from adults. This is especially true for infants and young children.

Herbs and other dietary supplements may interact with medicines or other supplements, or they may cause problems during surgery, such as bleeding-related complications. In addition, "natural" does not necessarily mean "safe." CAM therapies can have side effects, and these may be different in children than in adults.

Parents should seek information from scientific studies about how safe and effective a specific CAM therapy is in children. However, since few, if any, rigorous studies in young people exist, additional scientific studies are needed. Anecdotes and testimonials (personal stories) about CAM therapies are common and can be compelling, but they are not evidence.

Patterns of CAM use in Children
Who Does What?

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