Helping Your Provider: Natural Cures

Have you ever wondered if it’s really okay to give your child “natural” therapies when he or she gets sick, but you were afraid to ask your pediatric provider? Don’t be. Complementary and Integrative Medicine has gained such advocacy in recent years that in 2005, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) established the Section on Complementary and Integrative Medicine (SOCIM) to develop and indentify educational and policy strategies to advocate for research on complementary and alternative therapies used in pediatrics. So, not only is it okay to ask your provider about this growing area in child healthcare, here at Decatur Pediatric Group we encourage it!

The Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine states, “Integrative Medicine is the practice of medicine that reaffirms the importance of the relationship between practitioner and patient, focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches, healthcare professionals and disciplines to achieve optimal health and healing.” This statement goes far to summarize what the providers of Decatur Pediatric Group believe in. That is, to provide high quality, comprehensive care in maintaining the physical and mental health of your child. In order to provide that comprehensive care, we need to know about all of the healthcare modalities that our families believe in or wish to learn more about.

As a Pediatrician who is open to Integrative Medicine, I have often prescribed complementary and integrative therapies for patients when appropriate. For example, I recommended pro-biotics for a two year old with viral diarrhea; and on another occasion, I discussed massage and yoga therapy with a 14 year old patient who was having lots of musculoskeletal complaints. Further, I recently discussed safety issues with a patient’s mother who gave her 5 year old child honey to soothe his cough. Fortunately, this was a very safe intervention in this particular patient, but it could have lead to a life threatening infection in an infant.

That said, we come to another important reason why we strongly encourage you to speak with your provider about these therapies. Though many of these treatments are available over-the-counter, your doctor will help you determine which treatment is safe and effective. This is especially important because there can be dangerous side effects when multiple medicines or therapies are given at the same time. I cannot over-emphasize the importance of notifying your provider of any integrative therapies you are currently providing to your child or are considering trying.

Ultimately, the providers of Decatur Pediatric Group are committed to maintaining the mental and physical health of your child.   We can best do this when we are presented with all of the information. For additional information regarding current research on the benefits of Complementary and Integrative Medicine in pediatrics, please visit www.aap.org/section/CHIM and click on Parent Resources.

                                                                                                - Tracy Ferguson, M.D., F.A.A.P.