According to a recent study nearly two-thirds of chronically ill
children use dietary supplements, and 30 percent are using non-prescribed
supplements.
Though some supplements can be beneficial, their effects on children's
growth and development are often unknown, and, since doctors are
often unaware that their patients are taking supplements -- only
20 percent of parents whose children were taking unprescribed supplements
had discussed them with the child's doctor -- drug-herb interactions
are a concern.
In the study, a survey was given to parents
of over 500 chronically ill children. In all, nearly 200 different
dietary supplement products were being used, including:
- Vitamins/minerals
- Botanicals
- Amino acids
- Prebiotics/probiotics
Other study findings include:
- Children with cancer were most likely to take unprescribed supplements
(about 45 percent of parents reported their use)
- Children with cystic fibrosis used the most supplements, typically
as part of standard care
- 30 percent to 35 percent of children with cystic fibrosis, type
1 diabetes or neuro-behavioral disorders (autism, Down syndrome,
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) were taking an unprescribed
supplement
- 78 percent of parents cited books and magazines as their primary
source of dietary supplement information
Researchers said that parents should discuss their children's use
of unprescribed dietary supplements with their doctors or registered
dietitians. Though they may not always know of potential adverse
reactions between supplements and medications or health conditions,
they do have access to such information.
Cancerpage.com
January 6, 2005
American
Dietetic Association December 28, 2004
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