 Once
upon a time, the only occasion for children to see a hypnotist
was when the magician cancelled their birthday party booking.
That's all changing now. Hypnotists are being called on
to teach kids self-hypnosis to help them through unpleasant
medical treatments. Not only does self-hypnosis help children
deal with invasive and uncomfortable procedures like voiding
cystourethrography (VCUG), it also shortens treatment
time by almost 14 minutes, according to a study conducted
at Stanford University and published in the January 11
online electronic edition of Pediatrics.
It's not surprising kids recoil
at the prospect of VCUG. The procedure involves catheterizing,
filling and then observing the bladder by x-ray while
the patient urinates. It's used to diagnose and monitor
vesicoureteral reflux, a condition where one of the
'valves' between the bladder and the kidneys leak. The
condition affects between one and two percent of children.
Although most kids outgrow this condition, they need
ongoing monitoring to watch for kidney scarring and
damage.
IT'S
BROKE? TRANSFIX IT
Self-hypnosis has been shown to help kids cope with
cancer, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary disorders and other
painful conditions. It allows them to dissociate from
unpleasant conditions and exercise some control over
their situation. This study is unique in that it examines
hypnosis using a controlled randomized study format
in a real-world medical setting.
Only children who had previously
undergone at least one VCUG were selected for the trial.
Twenty-one children were taught self-hypnosis while
23 others received routine care. The routine care group
was given the option of signing up for recreational
therapy, which included a demonstration with an anatomically
correct doll and instruction in relaxation and breathing
techniques.
During the procedure, all children
were given analgesics and were coached by a hypnotherapist
or a recreation therapist. The hypnosis group experienced
less distress as rated by the researchers, parents and
medical personnel. The kids, however, still gave themselves
high marks for pain and fear during the procedure, despite
their comments upon leaving the treatment room that
the VCUG 'wasn't so bad'.
All in all, self-hypnosis saves
significant time, money and wear-and-tear on medical
personnel and results in a happier child who is more
willing to show up for her next VCUG.
Pediatrics
Jan 11, 2005;115(1):e77-85
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