HW499 Bachelors Capstone 1

Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Children, Teenagers and Adolescents

Instructor: Sahr M. Cherif

Purdue Kaplan University

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Welcome Class! Please read over the Syllabus and Requirements! If you have any questions or

comments, please don’t hesitate to ask!

Course Syllabus & General Information

Instructor: Sahr M. Cherif

Course Meetings: Online Classroom (Wednesday 7-8 ET)

Credit Hours: 6/Certificate*

Course Description:

This course will serve as an introduction to Complementary and Alternative Medicine

with a focus on Children, Teenagers and Adolescents. Complementary and
Alternative Medicine involves treatments that are not part of mainstream medical
care; Sometimes it is called integrative medicine. Given the recent rise in
popularity of "natural" and "holistic" remedies and foods, it seems likely that
growing numbers of children also benefit health wise through these methods.

Course Prerequisites: None

Course Objectives:

1. Introduce students to the ever-expanding area of Complementary & Alternative

Practices (CAM).

2. Differentiate between CAM and Western medicine.

3. Describe the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to communicate

effectively with practitioners and users of CAM and conventional therapies.

4. Understanding Herbs, Vitamins and Supplements.

5. Describe the use of CAM therapies in the United States.

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Required Materials:

-Internet Access

Contact Information:

My email: Sahr1234@gmail.com

I can be reached via phone 1-4pm Monday through Thursday ET at 000-123-4567.

It’s okay to leave a detailed voice message!

General Course Outline & Information Handout

 Unit One:
Safety & Side Effects of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Practices in
Children.
-What Science Says?
-Patterns of use of CAM
- Selecting a Provider
-More to Consider

 Unit Two: Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs.

-Natural doesn’t always means safe!

-Federal Regulations

-Types of recommended Supplements

-Facts

 Unit Three: Food Therapy

-Who needs it?

-How does it work?

-Result(s)
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Unit One– Safety & Side Effects of Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Practices in Children. (Feel Free to Print These!)

Website Reference- https://nccih.nih.gov/health/children

 Complementary: Is a non-mainstream practice that is used along with traditional and

western medicine.

o Example: A person with depression takes prescribed medicine and practices

journaling at home.

 Alternative: Is another non-mainstream practice is used instead of traditional medicine

and isn’t regulated by Doctors.

o Example: A person with final stage cancer treats the disease with a diet change

instead of radiation/chemotherapy or pills.

 Integrative: Complementary, western and traditional medicine are coordinated together

and used thoroughly.

o Example: Patients dealing with chronic pain seek treatment of medical marijuana

along with swimming or acupuncture.

The 2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) conducted a comprehensive

survey on the use of Complementary Health approaches for an estimated 45,000 Americans,

including more than 10,000 children aged 4 to 17. The survey found that 11.6 percent of children

had used some form of complementary health product or practice such as supplements.

Also, the most frequently used CAM practices for children are used for back or

neck pain, common colds, anxiety and stress, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

and trouble sleeping.

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What Science Says: Children are still developing growth and immune wise and every

year, thousands of hospitals find themselves treating children and teenagers who have tried to

take their health into their own hands. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns parents,

if their children have chronic health issues, it’s best to have a Doctor’s approval first before

relying on supplements as some products may be toxic or make conditions worse.

Selecting a Provider: As a Parent, we only want the best for our children when it comes

to their health. Choosing a Complementary and Alternative health practitioner involves a careful

search...they must be licensed to deal with the care of children. Have you ever considered CAM

practices for yourself or your child? If so, what made you choose it over traditional medicine? To

find more about this please visit www.nccih.nih.gov/health/children

Patterns: Data from a collected National Health Interview Survey found that children

aged 4 to 17 used Yoga, Melatonin and Probiotics, tenfold. This means that within the last 10

years, CAM has become trendier but many practices haven’t been tested for safety in children.

Consideration: Educate yourself about the potential risks and benefits of complementary

health approaches. Always asks your child’s current health care provider about the effectiveness

of whichever approach you may be considering.

- Do not replace prescribed medications with alternative ones

- If suggested by a health care provider, do not increase dosage

because more isn’t necessarily better!

- Any adverse reactions, stop treatment and go to the nearest

hospital.

- Consult the tips on the NCCIH website and review them with your

provider.
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Unit Two– Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs. (Feel Free to Print These!)

Website Reference- https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/fortify-your-

knowledge-about-vitamins

Unit Two is very important and has numerous terms that are important to the Unit itself

as well as Unit Three. We will begin with Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs that children in the

United States may be given as a part of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Therapy.

What are Vitamins? Vitamins are essential nutrients that are needed in order for most

humans to stay and remain healthy…it is true, that our diet does give us nutrients but not

everyone benefits.

Why buy? According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, there are many

good reasons to consider taking vitamin and supplements such as:

 Having certain health problems

 vegetarian or vegan diet

 pregnant or breastfeeding

Natural doesn’t always mean safe!

All vitamins and supplements are regulated by the FDA and must contain a "dietary

ingredient" intended to supplement the diet. What should be listed in the ingredients are not only

vitamins, but minerals, botanicals products, amino acids, and substances such as enzymes,

microbial probiotics, and metabolites.

Vitamins are good for you but if you overdo it by taking over the recommended amount

or taking a combination, you may be at risk for liver disease. There’s a few vitamins and

minerals, the National Academy of Sciences has established upper limits of intake (ULs) for.
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Federal Regulations

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 requires that all health-related

products (drinks, protein powders, minerals, vitamins, pills, etc.) be labeled as dietary

supplements. 12 years ago, in June 2007, the FDA established dietary supplement "current Good

Manufacturing Practice" (cGMP) regulations requiring that Manufacturers thoroughly evaluate

their products through certified testing of purity, strength, and composition.

Types of Recommended Supplements

As children grow, it’s extremely important for them to get enough vitamins and minerals

to ensure optimal health; bone growth, healthy vision and a strong immune system. Most kids

will get adequate amounts of nutrients from a balanced diet (an example of a balanced diet can

be found on Healthy People 2020 website) but we all know that under certain circumstances,

children may need a boost. Below is a list of recommended vitamins/mineral/supplements.

Vitamin or mineral supplements can be toxic to children when taken in excess amounts.

This is especially true with the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K that are stored in body fat. Fat

soluble vitamins are absorbed into the body with the use of bile acids, which are fluids used to

absorb fat. Water-soluble vitamins are easily absorbed by the body, doesn’t need storage and the

kidney filter the excess.

-Iron (Red Meat, Legumes, Spinach, Shellfish, Quinoa)

-Zinc (Beans, Nuts)

-Calcium (Seeds, Cheese, Yogurt, Almonds, Sardines)

-Vitamin D (Egg Yolks, Tuna, Salmon, Orange juice, soy milk)

-Folate (Enriched pasta, cornmeal)

-Choline (rice, beets, wheat)

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Facts

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans don’t

recommend supplements over the recommended dietary allowances for healthy children older

than 1 year of age who eat a balanced diet.

Unit Three-Food Therapy (Feel Free to Print These!)

Website reference- https://childmind.org/article/more-than-picky-eating/

In today’s society, kids being picky about food is considered normal. Finding a child

who enjoys green vegetables is rare, but some kids are more than picky eaters. Their aversion

towards food goes beyond normal choosiness and into an area where parents have to seek

professional help.

Picky eating might reach a professional level for a number of different reasons. For

example, some younger kids have a heightened sense of smell, while others limit their diets

because they have problems with anxiety, and kids have an aversion to anything that is green.

Who needs it (Food Therapy)? The first step to any problem, is establishing that there

indeed is a problem. Children are more difficult to treat than adults, so it’s best to understand

more about their preferences or fears. Kids are often scared to try certain foods because they are

put off by the texture or just doesn’t like the way it looks. Others control what they eat because

they are afraid of choking or fear that they just wouldn’t like it in the first place. Whatever the

reason may be, it is important to explain to kids that unfamiliar foods aren’t meant to cause them

any harm.

How does it work? A Therapist starts with permission from the patient (child) by making

a list of foods the child wants to try and a second list of things her parents would like to see them

try. They then work to determine what avoidance is most concerning… It could be texture, taste
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or smell. A variety of cooked, uncooked foods are then placed on a table; kids aren’t expected to

eat right away but more of observing at what’s before them by touching or smelling. When kids

are familiar with the layout, they are asked to rate them on a scale from 0 to 10. Anything rated

over 5 they have to agree to try and eat at home twice a week as practice. As a reward they get

points for prizes and in turn parents are relieved and hopeful their child will eat healthier.

Questions?

1. Would you enroll your picky child into Food Therapy?

2. Have you ever noticed your child(ren) have difficulty chewing or

swallowing?

3. How is “negative” meal time behavior handled? (i.e. throwing food,

spitting it out, not eating, dropping.)

4. Does mealtime take more than 30 minutes?

Results? Food Therapy treatments usually lasts anywhere from 8 to 10 sessions but the pickier

the eater, the more sessions needed to improve food & eating habits. First things first, it’s always

a good idea to talk to your pediatrician, explain your concerns and if you still aren’t sure, don’t

hesitate to get a second or even third opinion. Make sure that the Therapist is licensed, is taking

time to listen and be interactive with your child but most of all, the therapy is directed by the

child. Over the next few weeks, you’ll notice your child, opening up about trying new foods but

if you notice old habits returning, schedule more sessions and check to see if anything different

has happened at school or with friends.

Any Questions or Comments? Is there a Unit that needs further discussion?

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Ehmke, R. (2019). More than Picky Eating: Kids with a serious aversion to many foods may

need help with food habits and overcoming avoidance. Retrieved on June 18, 2019 from

https://childmind.org/article/more-than-picky-eating/

Food and Drug Administration, (2012). Fortify Your Knowledge about Vitamins. Retrieved on

June 17, 2019 from https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/fortify-your-

knowledge-about-vitamins

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, (2017). Children and the Use of

Complementary Health Approaches. Retrieved on June 16, 2019 from

https://nccih.nih.gov/health/children