Herbal supplement products used by mothers to cope with the common health problems in childhood

Abstract

ObjectivesThis descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the herbal supplement products used by mothers for their children to cope with some frequently encountered health problems in childhood. MethodsThe study sample consisted of 202 mothers who applied to family health centers between January and March 2017 and agreed to participate in the study. A questionnaire was used for data collection. ResultsIn this study, 41.5% of mothers used herbal supplement products for sore throat, 37.1% for nausea and vomiting, 28.2% for gas pain and indigestion, 26.7% for constipation, 17.8% for cough, and 12.3% for sleeping problems and calming their children down. Mothers used mint-lemon, fennel, linden, chamomile, apricot leaf, and anise teas, ginger, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), cumin water, rosemary, rosehip, and sage to cope with childhood age health problems. One half of mothers had chosen to use herbal products based on recommendations from their family members or close relatives. Doctors recommended herbal supplement products at a lower rate. Four-fifths of mothers obtained herbal supplement products from herbal sellers, markets, and gardens; only 17.3% of mothers bought the products from the pharmacy. ConclusionMothers used mint-lemon, fennel, linden, chamomile, apricot leaf, and anise teas, ginger, lemon balm, cumin water, rosemary, rosehip, and sage to treat children’s symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection, gastrointestinal system disorders, and sleep problems. Very few of the mothers used herbal supplements with the advice of doctors.