Peri-urban self treatment emphasised rehydration; the rural community preferred herbal treatment and antibiotics.
The most prominent self treatment at home in the rural community was herbal treatment, followed by giving antibiotics or other drugs like pain killers or antacids and then home-made or ready-to-use oral rehydration solution (ORS) (Table 5 upper panel).
For example, THM accounts for 65% of all health care in India, 71% in Chile, 40% in China and over 80% in most of the African countries [ 25], especially in their rural communities where traditional herbal medicine is often the most culturally acceptable choice of health care [ 26].
Furthermore, most community members believed that herbal medicines are the most effective treatment for TBL.
In addition to literature review, previous studies that evaluated self-medication in Nigerian infants [ 31- 33] and the opinion of community pharmacies and traditional herbal medicine practitioners were used to develop part of the questionnaire that focused on home management of colic.
Many Cambodian refugee children were left to fend for themselves in this country while their parents worked around the clock at menial jobs or buried themselves in their communities, drinking wine-based herbal potions to combat depression, praying at temples, playing cards and gambling.
Critics in the medical community have strongly attacked the herbal supplement, pointing out that no published research supports the extraordinary claims of the product's manufacturer.
They continued to go to the women within a community that could heal with herbal medicine".
A large number of community members also believed that herbal medicines are the most effective treatment for TBL.
Traditional performers like this boy will entertain, while others in the community might snake-charm or sell herbal medicines made from the venom of deadly snakes.
The communities' experience of and preference for herbal medicines to treat TBL could be related to the pastoral way of life or reflect the true effectiveness of herbal remedies.
