Adverse events associated with pediatric complementary and alternative medicine in the Netherlands: a national surveillance study

Conclusion: Relatively few cases of adverse events associated with pediatric CAM usage were found, mostly due to delaying or stopping conventional treatment. Nevertheless, parents, pediatricians and CAM providers should be vigilant for both direct and indirect adverse events in children using CAM, especially in infants.What ’s Known:• The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in children is common.• Previous surveillance studies in other countries showed severe adverse events may occur after pediatric CAM usage.What is New:• In the Netherlands CAM-related adverse events are rare but can occur, with variable etiology and severity (from mild to potentially life-threatening)• Most CAM-related adverse events are not directly the result of CAM toxicities but rather are associated with withdrawal from appropriate therapies or with providers unable to recognize health-relevant states and delaying important diagnoses.
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research