Question 1

The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner is performing a medication history on a child and learns that the child's parents use various complementary treatments and remedies for the child. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics standard for providers, what will the nurse practitioner do?

A) Evaluate the safety and efficacy of each product and monitor use.
B) Incorporate these therapies into standard care practices.
C) Recommend not using the products until the child is older.
D) Suggest that most of these treatments are not safe for children.

A

Accepted Answer

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics standard, the primary care pediatric nurse practitioner should evaluate the safety and efficacy of each complementary treatment or remedy used by the child's parents, and monitor the child's use of these products to prevent adverse reactions or interactions with other medications. Incorporating these therapies into standard care practices or recommending against their use without evaluating their safety and efficacy is not appropriate. Nor should the nurse practitioner suggest that most of these treatments are not safe for children without prior evaluation.

Question 2

The parent of a child who has numerous allergies reports using herbal remedies to help treat the child because they are "natural" products. What will the primary care pediatric nurse practitioner suggest to this parent about using these products?

A) Brand-name herbal products have been tested for efficacy.
B) Natural ingredients are usually safe for use in children.
C) There are few interactions between drugs and supplements.
D) Use single-herb supplements whenever possible.

D

Accepted Answer

Single-herb supplements are generally recommended over multi-ingredient supplements because they allow for better control and understanding of what is being administered, reducing the risk of interactions and side effects.

Question 3

The parent of a newborn reports using echinacea for family members to help treat viral illnesses and feels that it is usually effective. What will the primary care pediatric nurse practitioner tell this parent?

A) That echinacea has no known therapeutic effects and should not be given
B) That the supplement should not be given to children under 2 years of age
C) To give half the recommended adult dose until the child is 5 years old
D) To wait until the infant is at least 1 month old before giving this product

B

Accepted Answer

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against the use of echinacea in children under the age of 2 years old due to lack of research on safety and efficacy in this age group.

Question 4

According to a National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) analysis of the use of CAM therapy, use was higher among what demographic?&#10;A) Families whose parent or parents had a college education.&#10;B) Hispanic and African-American populations.&#10;C) Persons who had not recently taken prescription medications.&#10;D) Those living in households earning less than $65,000.

Accepted Answer

Families where the parent or parents had a college education tend to have higher rates of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) therapy usage. This demographic often has better access to information about CAM therapies and may be more open to alternative approaches to health and wellness.

Question 5

An adolescent will begin taking the combination oral contraceptive pill (OCP). Which supplement will the primary care pediatric nurse practitioner caution the adolescent to avoid while taking OCPs?&#10;A) Ginkgo&#10;B) Kava&#10;C) St. John's wort&#10;D) Valerian

Accepted Answer

St. John's wort is known to decrease the effectiveness of OCPs by increasing the metabolism of estrogen and progestin hormones in the liver. It is important for the adolescent to avoid taking St. John's wort while on OCPs to prevent unintended pregnancy. The other supplements listed (Ginkgo, Kava, and Valerian) are not known to interact with OCPs.

Question 6

Which label on a Complementary and Alternative Medicine(CAM) therapy product verifies that a product meets standards for contamination, adulteration, manufacturing processes, and pharmacologic properties?

A) Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS)
B) National Sanitation Foundation International (NSF)
C) Natural Products Association (NPA)
D) United States Pharmacopeia (USP)

Accepted Answer

The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) is a non-profit organization that sets standards for the quality, purity, and identity of medicines, including CAM therapies. The USP label verifies that the product meets standards for contamination, adulteration, manufacturing processes, and pharmacologic properties. The other labels listed (GRAS, NSF, NPA) are not specific to CAM therapies or may not address these specific standards.

Deck 27: Complementary Medicine in Pediatric Primary Care With an Introduction to Functional Medicine