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Lipoid Pneumonia Due to Mexican Folk Remedies
Cultural Barriers to Diagnosis
Lucas R. Hoffman, MD, PhD;
Elizabeth H. Yen, MD;
Jeffrey P. Kanne, MD;
Eric L. Effmann, MD;
Ronald L. Gibson, MD, PhD;
Cornelius W. Van Niel, MD
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2005;159:1043-1048.
Objective To describe 2 cases of lipoid pneumonia in Mexican American infants after administration of vegetable- or animal-derived oils and the cultural barriers to diagnosis. Various folk remedies have been documented in the international medical literature that involve the oral or nasal administration of vegetable- or animal-derived oils to children for the treatment of common ailments, including nasal stuffiness, constipation, and colic. Lipoid pneumonia is a known complication of such practices in Mexico, India, Saudi Arabia, and other countries.
Methods Case reports of 2 Mexican American infants with respiratory distress and interviews with 30 immigrant families of Mexican origin.
Results In both cases, language and cultural barriers resulted in a delayed diagnosis of lipoid pneumonia. Interviews with immigrant families confirmed that oil administration to children is a common traditional therapy in Mexican cultures.
Conclusions These findings underscore the need for primary care providers to be aware of the traditional practice of oil administration to infants in many cultures, its pathophysiological consequences, the potential cultural barriers to timely diagnosis, and the opportunity to prevent cases of lipoid pneumonia through anticipatory guidance.
Author Affiliations: Departments of Pediatrics (Drs Hoffman, Yen, Gibson, and Van Niel) and Radiology (Drs Kanne and Effmann), University of Washington School of Medicine, and Sea Mar Community Health Centers (Drs Yen and Van Niel), Seattle, Wash.
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