The Facts:
* A questionnaire given to 100 children visiting their GP or a diabetes clinic examined the use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) in NZ.
* Approximately 70% of children had used CAM at some stage and about three-quarters of this use was not reported to a doctor.
* Because CAM use in NZ children is high, doctors must determine what, if any, alternative therapies are being used before they prescribe conventional medicines to avoid potential interactions.
Shaun’s comment: Whether or not doctors and other health professionals think that alternative medicines work, they need to know about them because many of their patients are using them. This study was particularly interesting as it found that many children, some with diabetes, used alternative treatments and also that they usually did not tell their doctor. As some alternative treatments can interact with conventional treatments, it is recommended that users tell their health professionals about any non-traditional treatments that they are taking.
Study reference:
http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/abstract.php?id=2464
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