Hypnosis Can Relieve Symptoms in
Children With Respiratory Diseases

Hypnosis has potential therapeutic value for alleviating symptoms in children with respiratory disorders such as habit cough or unexplained sensations of difficulty breathing. It also can lessen a child's discomfort during medical procedures. Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. explores the proper utilization of hypnosis as an adjunct to conventional treatment and its ability to use the mind-body connection to bring about physiological changes in a provocative paper in Pediatric Asthma, Allergy & Immunology. This a peer-reviewed journal is available free online.

When a child's respiratory symptoms appear to have a psychological component , Ran D. Anbar, MD, Professor of Pediatrics at SUNY Upstate Medical University, in Syracuse, NY, recommends hypnosis as a treatment option.

Dr. Anbar, in his paper, "Adding Hypnosis to the Therapeutic Toolbox of Pediatric Respiratory Care," points to symptoms such as difficulty taking a breath, a disruptive cough, hyperventilation, noise on inspiration such as a gasp or squeak, and difficulty swallowing despite normal lung function as possible indications for the use of hypnosis to supplement medical therapy. Symptoms that are absent during sleep can be associated with a particular activity or location, or are linked to or triggered by an emotional response may be particularly responsive to hypnosis.

Hypnosis is also a valuable tool for easing a child's anxiety and helping patients control their response to discomfort, it can also help lessen sensations of difficulty breathing and anxiety in other respiratory diseases such as cystic fibrosis and asthma. Published data support the benefit of hypnosis in children with respiratory disorders with a large mind-body component such as vocal cord dysfunction and habit cough.

Hypnosis should not be attempted or considered for use by someone who is not a health care provider, cautions Dr. Anbar, and who has not received appropriate training in the technique.

"Dr. Anbar has added hypnosis to our therapeutic toolbox. When breathing problems have a large mind-body component, resolution with hypnosis can dramatically reduce the need for expensive testing and medications," says Harold Farber, MD, MSPH, Editor of Pediatric Asthma, Allergy Immunology, and Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Section of Pulmonology, at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.
 
Dr. Robert works with children and hypnosis to alleviate symptoms.

Contact Dr. Robert to discuss options for your child.

Robert Galarowicz ND
1 Sears Dr. Fl#3
Paramus, NJ 07652
201-728-4831.

Source:

Anbar et al. Adding Hypnosis to the Therapeutic Toolbox of Pediatric Respiratory Care. Pediatric Asthma Allergy Immunology, 2010; 100204180550001 DOI: 10.1089/pai.2009.0025