Hypnotherapy treatment for IBS and FAP in Children

Research Overview for other independent research studies regarding the efficacy of use of clinical hypnotherapy, hypnosis or guided imagery for the treatment of Functional / Recurrent Abdominal Pain or RAP, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Related Symptoms in CHILDREN.

Hypnotherapy is effective, yet NONE of these protocols is readily available to the mainstream IBS patient. For those protocols that are in practical use, availably is limited to trained therapists in the sufferers area, and results in substantial cost to the patient.

Hypnotherapy for children with functional abdominal pain or irritable bowel syndrome: a randomised controlled trial.

Vlieger A et al.  St. Antonius Hospital in Nieuwegein. Abstract 914. Digestive Disease Week, May 2007 - Mean pain intensity scores in the hypnotherapy group decreased from 13.5 at the start of the study to 3.0 at the end of treatment and 1.4 after a year of follow-up. After a year of follow-up, the hypnotherapy had resulted in successful pain elimination in 85% of the children, compared to 25% of those getting standard care.

Treatment options for chronic abdominal pain in children and adolescents.

Miranda A, Sood M. Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI.  -  Curr Treat Options Gastroenterol. 2006 Sep;9(5):409-15. Treatment should be … based on the severity of symptoms… and the impact the disorder has on the child's school attendance and normal functioning. Various psychological interventions, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, hypnosis, and guided imagery, have been successfully used in children with chronic abdominal pain.

Evaluation of guided imagery as treatment for recurrent abdominal pain in children: a randomized controlled trial.

 Weydert JA, Shapiro DE, Acra SA, Monheim CJ, Chambers AS, Ball TM. BMC Pediatr. 2006 Nov 8;6:29  Integrative Pain Management, Children's Mercy Hospital, 2401 Gillham Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64108   - The therapeutic efficacy of guided imagery with progressive muscle relaxation found in this study is consistent with our present understanding of the pathophysiology of recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) in children. Although unfamiliar to many pediatricians, guided imagery is a simple, noninvasive therapy with potential benefit for treating children with RAP.

Hypnosis: An important multifaceted therapy.

Ran D. Anbar, MD   Journal of Pediatrics, Volume 149, Issue 4, Pages 438-439 (October 2006) - Why should a clinician be interested in learning about hypnosis? Patients often have complaints that sometimes do not respond to traditional allopathic treatment. Clinical hypnosis has been shown to improve or reduce many such ailments, including anxiety … irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, recurrent abdominal pain…

Treatment of functional abdominal pain in childhood with cognitive behavioral strategies.

 Youssef NN, Rosh JR, Loughran M, Schuckalo SG, Cotter AN, Verga BG, Mones RL.   J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2004 Aug;39(2):192-6. Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, University of Medicine & Dentistry, New Jersey Goryeb Children's Hospital, Morristown 07962 - Guided imagery and progressive relaxation can safely and effectively reduce chronic abdominal pain in children with FGIDs. This treatment also improve social functioning and school attendance.

A pilot study of the use of guided imagery for the treatment of recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) in children.

Ball TM, Shapiro DE, Monheim CJ, Weydert JA. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2003 Jul - Aug;42(6):527-32. Department of Pediatrics, Steele Memorial Children's Research Center, University of Arizona, College of Medicine, Tucson 85724-5073 - The use of relaxation along with guided imagery is an effective and safe treatment for childhood RAP.

Self-hypnosis for treatment of functional abdominal pain in childhood.

Anbar RD. Clin Pediatr. 2001;40:447–451. - Functional abdominal pain… can respond to psychological intervention … functional abdominal pain of 4 of 5 pediatric patients resolved within 3 weeks after a single session of instruction in self-hypnosis. Potential impact of widespread application of such hypnotherapy may be large, because abdominal pain is thought to be the most common recurrent physical symptom …among children and adolescents.