The idea of hospitals adopting alternative medicine to treat children is a welcomed change that many believe is well overdue. The article Can Kids Be Healed by Alternative Medicine explores the importance of using complementary care in pediatric treatments for various conditions.
Recent events in the news have brought light to the desire for some families to embrace alternative treatments for children with illnesses. Some approaches are extreme and not recommended. However, a balance of alternative treatments in conjunction with orthodox medicine can offer great results for children. Some approaches are naturally beneficial for kids.
Hospitals adopting alternative medicine to treat children include:
• Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago
• Duke University Medical Center
• Beth Israel Hospital in New York City
• Mayo Clinic
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) includes age-old approaches to treating various conditions as well as preventative medicine. Children can benefit from many of the approaches, especially mind-body techniques that require imagination. Kids are less likely to be self-conscious during many of the complementary approaches, which is why many children do extremely well with hypnotherapy.
The types of alternative and complementary medicine approaches vary greatly, with many options being ideal for younger people. Hospitals adopting alternative medicine to treat children are considering using the following approaches:
• Acupuncture offers pain relief without harmful prescription medication or side effects.
• Herbal medicine offers help for some conditions in a natural form. When administered by a physician, the herbal treatments may offer excellent results.
• Homeopathy is an unlikely natural complement to some medical interventions.
• Massage therapy is effective in relieving stress and tension but some find that there are healing properties to some forms of massage.
• Chiropractic care is unusual practice for children. This approach involves creating proper alignment in order to promote health and to treat some illnesses.
Testing the Alternative Treatments
Testing alternative treatments for children is an important part of the process. The Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, with the support of Donna Karan’s foundation, is developing a program that tests the effectivness of various complementary treatments for pediatric cancer including:
• Meditation
• Yoga
• Aromatherapy
The tests hope to prove that alternative treatments for pediatric cancer can help reduce the length of stay in hospitals for children as they find relief from complementary therapies. The approach is very promising and many families are embracing the idea of using complementary approaches to treating children who have cancer.
Complementary Medicine for Kids
While hospitals are in the process of adopting alternative medicine to treat children, some families are practicing various forms of complementary medicine. Discussing the various options with a pediatrician is an excellent way to determine which forms of alternative medicine can work for your family.
It is important to note that the complementary medicine is designed to augment traditional medical interventions. The approaches are not meant to replace proper care or regular appointments with the child’s doctor.
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