Consensus-based guideline for the supportive anthroposophic therapies to treat children with pseudocroup (stenosing laryngotracheitis)

Purpose

Supportive anthroposophic therapies are used to treat children with pseudocroup by pediatricians in outpatient and inpatient settings. Anthroposophic treatment comprises forms of creative therapies, external applications as well as remedies, which production is based on the knowledge of the human being, nature and substances. A scientifically based guideline for these therapies is lacking. Due to insufficient study situation, we developed a consensus-based guideline to make therapy decisions more transparent and facilitate clinical routine.

Methods

An online Delphi process with 67 anthroposophic pediatricians was conducted. Recommendations were accepted when reaching more than 75 % of expert agreement; otherwise, recommendations were revised and assessed by the experts once again.

Results

Recommendations for general interventions and for anthroposophic remedies (Bryonia/Spongia comp.; Larynx/Apis comp.) as well as for external applications (embrocation with lavender oil) were developed. Recommendations have a consensus of 96.4 % or more.

Conclusion

The consensus-based guideline provides practical recommendations for the supportive anthroposophic therapies for pseudocroup. The implementation and practicability of this guideline has to be investigated.