University of Michigan on Pediatric hypnotherapy: Hypnosis Helping Kids

Pediatric Hypnotherapy: Hypnosis Helping Kids

What is hypnosis? What is   self-hypnosis?
Hypnosis is an altered state of   consciousness . Some people describe hypnosis as a normal state of focused   attention. They say they feel very relaxed and calm. During hypnosis, the mind   is more open to suggestion than usual.

Hypnosis is a natural mental state. For example, children are often in a   state of self-hypnosis when they are playing imaginary games. Actors and   athletes often use it to improve their performance. Because people are open to   suggestion while in a hypnotic state, they can learn to change their thoughts,   feelings, behavior, and attitudes.

People can take these changes that happen during hypnosis and use them for   self-improvement in their usual state of consciousness. For example, hypnosis   can be used to help reduce anxiety, control pain, control the perception of   discomfort during medical procedures, lessen discomfort of physical symptoms,   and break bad habits.

• Read Mind-Body Medicine:   An Overview for the background on mind-body medicine, which includes   hypnosis.  This article is from the National Center for Complementary and   Alternative Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Are there any popular myths   about hypnosis?
Yes, there are lots   mistaken beliefs about hypnosis. Here are the facts:
          Hypnosis does not:

• Allow the hypnotherapist to control the subject's mind
• Cause people to fall asleep
• Make the subject forget what has happened
• Make people do things against their will.

What is the history of using hypnosis with children?
Hypnosis of children was first described in 1779 by   Mesmer, who reportedly used hypnotherapy to treat a child with visual problems.   Historically, hypnotherapy was rarely practiced with children, because people   thought that children could not be hypnotized. In the 1970's, however,   observations suggested that children were easier to hypnotize than adults, and   that hypnosis could be used in the treatment of behavioral and physical problems   in children [1].

What is pediatric   hypnotherapy?
As currently practiced, hypnotherapy most   often involves teaching a child how to self-hypnotize in order to control bad   habits, physical symptoms, and other conditions. The child learns to use   relaxation techniques and mental images—similar to a daydream or fantasy—to   enter an “altered mental state” (in other words, to induce hypnosis).

Once in this altered state, the therapist makes suggestions aimed at   producing the desired change in behavior, anxiety level, or symptom intensity [2], [3], [4] . These may range from recalling   times of feeling happy and well in a child with chronic pain, to thinking of the   body as a “computer” that the child can “program” with his or her mind.

The child may also receive specific teaching about their problem as a means   of helping them learn to exercise control over their body. For example, a child   with nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting) may be taught the basic anatomy and   function of the bladder. Ultimately, the child is able to induce self-hypnosis   when needed to achieve the desired changes.

What are some uses of   hypnotherapy in children?
Hypnotherapy has been used to   treat hundreds of behavior disorders, chronic diseases, and pain and discomfort.   Here's a partial list:

Behavior problems:

• Habit/tic   disorders including thumb-sucking 2 , trichotillomania (hair-pulling) [5] , Tourette's Syndrome [6] .
  Evidence is currently   limited to several small studies and case reports (reports of   successful therapy in a few individuals, without comparison to another therapy).
• Nocturnal enuresis   (bedwetting) [7] .
  Evidence includes case reports as well as one clinical trial, in which   hypnotherapy was shown to be more effective than medication. Here is a review of this   study.
• Sleep terrors,   nightmares, and other sleep disturbances [8] .
  Evidence is limited to   case reports.
• Swallowing problems, food aversions, and choking (not   related to anatomic problems or disease) [9].
  Evidence is limited to   case reports.
• Anxiety and stress [2], [3] .

Chronic Conditions:

• Asthma
  Case reports suggest that hypnotherapy may reduce episodes of   wheezing or shortness of breath, and may decrease reliance on asthma   medications.
• Cystic Fibrosis (CF)
  A study in adults and children with CF suggests   that hypnotherapy can reduce symptoms of cough, shortness of breath, anxiety,   and other problems commonly faced by these patients.
• Migraine headaches
• Cancer
  See this summary of how   hypnosis might help kids with cancer.

• Chronic pain in cancer patients
  Initial results from small studies   showing that hypnotherapy can be used to manage chronic pain in children with   cancer; larger studies are likely underway.
• Nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy [10]
  Several studies   comparing hypnotherapy to anti-nausea medications and simple relaxation   techniques show that hypnotherapy plus medications was more effective than   medications alone in reducing nausea and vomiting. Children treated with   hypnotherapy had less pre- and post-chemotherapy nausea and vomiting.
• Treatments: pill-swallowing, injections, and medical procedures
  Hypnosis has been shown to be very effective in helping children through painful   procedures like shots, IV pokes, even spinal taps and bone marrow studies.

How do I find a hypnotherapist?
Probably the best way for your child to learn to use   self-hypnosis is to work with a hypnotherapist for one or two sessions. A   pediatric hypnotherapist can teach kids how to enter a state of hypnosis, and   give themselves constructive suggestions. Kids with medical conditions need to   consult hypnotherapists who are qualified to work with patients.

There are no laws regulating who can be called a “hypnotherapist.”   Practitioners range from doctors, to psychologists, to informally trained   practitioners. The American   Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) certifies health and mental health   professionals who practice hypnotherapy. They have strict certification criteria. In   addition, they maintain a search page so that you can locate a certified therapist in   your area.

We recommend only consulting licensed medical or mental health   professionals with ASCH certification.

For more information on   pediatric hypnotherapy, visit the links below:

• American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH)
• Michigan chapter of the ASCH
• Society for Clinical and Experimental   Hypnosis

Citations

          Written   and compiled by Carolyn Lorenz, M.D., Neda Yousif, M.D. and Kyla Boyse, R.N.    Reviewed by faculty and staff at the University of Michigan

          Updated   November 2008

U-M Health System Related Sites:
 U-M Pediatrics

Hypnotherapyforhealthandhappiness.com