PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Gilmour, Joan
AU  - Harrison, Christine
AU  - Asadi, Leyla
AU  - Cohen, Michael H.
AU  - Vohra, Sunita
TI  - Treating Teens: Considerations When Adolescents Want to Use Complementary and Alternative Medicine
AID  - 10.1542/peds.2010-2720D
DP  - 2011 Nov 01
TA  - Pediatrics
PG  - S161--S166
VI  - 128
IP  - Supplement 4
4099  - http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/128/Supplement_4/S161.short
4100  - http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/128/Supplement_4/S161.full
SO  - Pediatrics2011 Nov 01; 128
AB  - In this article we examine decision-making about complementary and alternative medicine use when the patient is an adolescent. A case scenario describes patient-parent conflict when a 14-year-old boy who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis that has continued to progress even with medication refuses recommended surgery despite his physician's and parents' support for that option; he prefers homeopathy instead. We address (1) who has decision-making authority about treatment for young people, (2) how to determine if a young person can consent to or refuse treatment, (3) special considerations when counseling and treating adolescents (whether they can decide about treatment for themselves), and (4) parent-child conflicts about treatment. In addition, we suggest ways that health care providers can foster a trusting relationship with patients and parents.