Survey of Complementary and Alternative Therapies Used by Children with Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia)

Autor/in	Bull, Leona
Titel	Survey of Complementary and Alternative Therapies Used by Children with Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia)
Quelle	In: International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 44 (2009) 2, S.224-235 (12 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1368-2822
Schlagwörter	Learning Problems; Dyslexia; Therapy; Questionnaires; Statistical Surveys; Parent Attitudes; Use Studies; Program Attitudes; Foreign Countries; Medical Care Evaluation; Children; Related Services (Special Education); Speech Language Pathology; United Kingdom + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Lernproblem; Dyslexics; Legasthenie; Lese-Rechtschreib-Schwäche; Therapie; Fragebogen; Statistische Erhebung; Elternverhalten; Benutzerschulung; Ausland; Child; Kind; Kinder; Großbritannien
Abstract	Background: Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty affecting up to 10% of British children that is associated with a wide range of cognitive, emotional and physical symptoms. In the absence of effective conventional treatment, it is likely that parents will seek complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to try and help their children. However, little is known about the level of CAM use or the type of CAM used by dyslexic children. Aims: This study assessed: (1) the lifetime use of CAM by dyslexic children, (2) the role of socio-demographic factors in CAM use by dyslexic children, (3) parental attitudes towards CAM use in the treatment of dyslexia, and (4) how parents' understanding of dyslexia affects CAM use. Methods & Procedures: A semi-structured questionnaire-based survey of parents of 148 dyslexic school children was undertaken. The children had been recruited to a university research programme investigating the effectiveness of a complementary therapy for the treatment of learning difficulties. Outcomes & Results: Lifetime use of CAM was 55.4% (82 children). The most popular CAM approaches were nutritional supplements/special diets (63 children) followed by homeopathy (29 children) and osteopathy/chiropractic manipulation (29 children). Socio-demographic factors did not predict CAM use. In total, parents of 101 dyslexic children reported that an interest in CAM for the treatment of dyslexia was based on their preference for CAM for their families more generally. Parents who thought that dyslexia was a "medical/health" disorder were more likely to have used CAM with their children (p less than 0.01) than other parents in this survey. Conclusions & Implications: Educational and health professionals should be aware that many dyslexic children use CAM. Parents of dyslexic children should be provided with evidence-based advice to help them make informed therapeutic choices. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10