(March 2009) – In a national survey conducted by the University of Minnesota, primary care physicians report that they are more likely to enquire about complementary alternative medicine (CAM) when treating patients with autism. According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 1 in 150 children in the US is affected by autism, and one-half to three-quarters of these children are being treated with CAM therapies.
Because CAM is often used to treat autism in children, Dr. Allison Golnik, the study’s author, explains “it is important that physicians ask about CAM use in the context of routine primary care.” The survey also indicates that primary care physicians wish to be educated about CAM therapies that apply specifically to children with autism. “Physicians need access to balanced education that will inform their own recommendations for specific CAM therapies and adequate information to care for families who elect their use,” Golnik said.
The combination of standard medical therapies, CAM and the complex health care system requires a significant level of engagement by the primary care physician when treating a child with autism. “With the high prevalence of CAM use by children with autism, asking all patients about CAM, establishing an infrastructure to monitor CAM use and developing CAM education are important goals,” Golnik said. “It is important that families be involved in this process.”
Want to know more? Read the full article in Natural Medicine.
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