Alternative medicine is defined as a health care system not included in modern biomedicine and medical practices substituting for conventional medical treatments. Complementary medicine, on the other hand, refers to a healing and health care system complementing mainstream medicine and contributing to the general practices of health care. Utilizing complementary and alternative treatments in children is common. Therefore, it is important that all health professionals involved in children’s health care practices be well grounded with respect to the opinions of patients and their parents concerning complementary and alternative health care practices. The health professionals are supposed to fully inform patients and their parents about the potential risks, benefits and limitations of such treatments, and answer all possible questions in detail.

Keywords: tamamlayıcı ve alternatif tedavi, çocuk, çocuk sağlığı, complementary and alternative treatments, child, children’s health