common practice of traditional medication with oil and/or ghee as folk medicine in children of southern Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

In Southern Saudi Arabia a non-invasive traditional medicine in the form of the oral and nasal administration of oil and ghee [samana ganam] to the child is a common deep-rooted tradition. Amongst medical paediatric admissions 73.4% out of a total 1090 had a history of this treatment and 40.63% of them were under 1 year of age; 67% had some signs or symptoms. The commonest symptoms were cough and respiratory distress [57.5%]. The level of parental education had no influence on the administration of this traditional medicine, as 72% of the parents admitted that it was used on the advice of, or insistence of, an older relative or neighbour