The team from Seattle's Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center say the finding highlights the need for further studies into the effects of non-orthodox medical treatments on the health of children with long-term illnesses. The Seattle researchers questioned 89 patients with an average age of 14. The most common conditions for the patients were kidney transplants, nephritic syndrome and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and all were taking immunosuppressive therapy for control of their disease. According to the investigation, 63 per cent of children with renal or rheumatology diseases used some form of complementary or alternative medicine. The most popular forms were exercise (35 per cent), herbal remedies (24 per cent) and prayer (24 per cent). Speaking at the Pediatric Academic Societies Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, researcher Dr Bruder Stapleton told delegates the findings point to the need for greater awareness among doctors and parents about potential side effects and drug interactions of alternative therapies, especially regarding herbs. The findings also suggest that research is needed to better understand patient preferences and beliefs, and to study the effects of alternative medicines on health, well-being and disease management, he said. "This study is significant because complementary therapies are being utilised by this complex and often fragile group of patients and may be influencing outcomes, either favourably or unfavourably," Dr Stapleton said. "The more we learn about the value of complementary therapies, the more patients may benefit, with the hope that toxicities from standard immunosuppressive therapies may be lessened." A spokesperson for the UK's Arthritis Research Campaign said any patients, whether children or adult, should check with their doctor before using complementary therapies. Furthermore, many children with juvenile arthritis take methotrexate, which is a relatively strong drug and tends to interact with practically everything, including most herbal remedies, she advised.

From Health-news.co.uk