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Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2004;158:291.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

I agree with Davis and Darden's¹ premise that previous studies of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among children are difficult to compare, given different definitions of CAM and inclusion of different populations. Yet, in their attempt to "generate a generalizable population-based estimate of CAM use among US children," the authors make a key error of omission. The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey used for this study asks only if the person consulted "someone who provides these types of treatments." Most patients using CAM do not initially consult providers of these treatments; this much we already know. In the landmark study by Eisenberg et al,² almost half (47%) of respondents who used "unconventional" therapies did so without consulting either conventional or unconventional providers. This self-guided approach is deliberate, as one of the key appeals of CAM is its self-healing aspect. Parents are often seeking to reestablish control they have lost over . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Lawrence D. Rosen, MD
Department of Pediatrics
New York Medical College
Munger Pavilion
Valhalla, NY 10595
(e-mail: ldrdoc@alum.mit.edu)

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