Complementary and alternative treatment methods practiced by parents in pediatric cases diagnosed with atopic dermatitis.

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, recurrent, and inflammatory skin disease experienced mostly in childhood. Chronicity of the disease, relapses, constant need of regular skin care causes seeking for alternative treatments.

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the complementary and alternative treatments (CAT) used by parents' caregivers in pediatric patients diagnosed with AD, and the association between CAT use and patient characteristics.

Materials and methods: A questionnaire questioning the sociocultural and demographic characteristics of the family, the clinical findings of the patients, their treatments and CAT applications was recorded.

Results: Eighty-three patients were included in the study. 68.7% of the patients used at least one type of CAT. Vitamins and oils were the most commonly used CAT (48.8% and 47%, respectively) and 73.3% of the patients using CAT continued normal AD treatment while using CAT. The biggest factor affecting CAT choice was the advice of the immediate circle (75%), and 40.6% of the patients stated that they benefited from the complementary therapy.

Conclusions: CAT are widely used in AD. Physicians should know the socio-cultural structure of the region they are in, the CAT used and their side effects, and inform the families.