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It likely comes as little surprise that when adults use complementary alternative medicine (CAM) such as homeopathy and herbs, their children do the same.
A recent Harvard study confirms these findings, discovering that 12 percent of kids use such alternative medications. Vitamins and minerals were excluded from the study.
Surprisingly, such treatments were not limited to use in minor ailments like the common cold.
Pediatrician Dr Steven E. Lipshultz was quoted in HealthDay Reporter stating that many children using CAM were being treated for serious diseases such as cancer. He said 66 percent of children with cancer had tried CAM, despite limited research into the effectiveness of such treatments.
According to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control, CAM sales in 2007 totaled about $34 billion. Of this, $14.8 billion was used to purchase products such as omega-3s, glucosamine and herbs like echinacea and valerian.
The other $20 billion was spent on other CAM products like essential oils, healing classes and materials such as CAM guides, textbooks, meditation mats and crystals.
In 2007, Americans made about 354 million visits to CAM practitioners such as acupuncturists, chiropractors and massage therapists. | 
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