Home Remedies May Put Children at Risk [balance]

Home Remedies May Put Children at Risk

Many Parents Unaware of Possible Dangers of Giving Kids Herbal Supplements

May 5, 2003 -- Many children may be on the receiving end of a wide variety of herbal supplements and home remedies with little thought given to the potential dangers of these therapies. New research shows more than three-quarters of caregivers who give their children herbal supplements or home remedies are unaware or don't believe these therapies can cause dangerous side effects.

The study, published in the May issue of Pediatrics, found that 53% of caregivers surveyed in a large urban hospital reported giving their children herbal products at least once in the last year, and 27% used three or more different types.

Researchers say the study shows that herbal and home therapies are widely used among children, but few parents and other caregivers are aware of the potential risks of these approaches, such as dangerous drug interactions.

"Many caregivers report using these products because they consider them natural, and therefore safer to use than traditional western medicine," says researcher Steven Lanski, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics and emergency medicine at Emory University School of Medicine, in a news release. "They fail to realize that herbal products do not require FDA approval prior to release in the marketplace and parents may incorrectly assume that the products are adequately regulated."

The study found 61% of children on an herbal supplement were also taking a prescription medication at the same time. The most dangerous potential drug interaction reported was using ephedra and albuterol (sold under the names Proventil, Ventolin, and Volmax) in a child with asthma. This combination could cause a dangerously high heart rate.

The most frequently reported herbal supplements used in children were aloe or plant juice (44%), echinacea (33%), and sweet oil (24%). The most commonly reported reason for using these home remedies or herbal supplements were for colds, burns, cuts, immune system stimulation, and relaxation.

Researchers also found some unusual products that were being used as home remedies among this group of 142 families who were surveyed after coming to the hospital's pediatric emergency room. For example, turpentine was used to rub down a child thought to have worms and a small amount of it was also given to another child thought to have the same condition. Other unusual home remedies included cow chips and pine needles.

More than 75% of the respondents said they were uncertain or didn't believe herbal products could cause any side effects, and of those who thought side effects were possible, only 27% could name one. In addition, 66% said they unsure or did not know that herbal supplements could interact with other medications. Only 2% could correctly name the drug interaction.

Researchers say they were also concerned that only 45% of those caregivers who gave herbal supplements to children discussed it with the child's healthcare provider. In fact, 80% of the people who used home remedies and herbal supplements said friends or family were the primary source of information about these therapies.