Complementary and Integrative Medicine | Seattle Children's Hospital

Skip to main content

Search
Complementary and Integrative Medicine

Overview

Loading...

Seattle Children's Complementary and Integrative Medicine program helps providers (doctors and nurses) as well as families use complementary medicine, sometimes called alternative medicine, along with standard treatments to improve medical conditions, decrease pain and side effects.

Children's is one of just a few pediatric hospitals in the United States to offer a program in complementary and integrative medicine. Our program focuses on using methods that have proven results. We work closely with your child's healthcare team to determine whether complementary therapies may be useful.

Currently, we offer acupuncture, cognitive and behavioral therapies, guided imagery, healing touch and Reiki. Seattle Children's Adolescent Medicine program offers biofeedback training. We also work closely with our child life specialists to use techniques such as relaxation and guided imagery to help make treatment at Children's a positive experience for your child and your family.

Complementary techniques may not be right for all conditions. Some may get in the way of your child's other treatment, make side effects worse or lead to infections. Our team, along with your child's health-care providers, can help you determine if complementary medicine might help your child.

 

Services We Offer

Acupuncture

In acupuncture, specially trained doctors or licensed acupuncturists insert very thin, hair-like needles at specific points on the body. The treatment aims to speed the body's natural tendencies toward healing, help reduce pain, maintain health, improve function and promote well-being.

Healing touch, therapeutic touch and Reiki

All of these techniques are based on the idea that energy flows throughout our bodies. Any imbalance or block in the flow of energy may lead to pain and illness. Professionals who use these methods believe the energy can be balanced or made stronger by gently passing their hands either over the body or several inches above it. At Children's, we are studying the use of Reiki therapy with children who have pain due to surgery.

Guided imagery

Guided imagery is a type of relaxation exercise. It is based on the idea that your mind and body are connected, and that by directing your thoughts, you can change the way you feel. Guided imagery involves using mental images to help bring about physical healing or changes in attitudes or behavior. Professionals may lead your child through visualization exercises or help your child learn to use mental images as a tool to help themselves feel better. Guided imagery is often used to reduce stress and to treat stress-related conditions, such as insomnia and pain.

Cognitive behavioral therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy is an approach to psychotherapy. It helps people take control of their illnesses and their lives by using insight, self-knowledge and planning. Our pain psychologist offers this type of therapy for management of stress, mood disorders and pain. Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on the idea that thoughts, not external things, like people, situations and events, cause feelings and behaviors. As a result, we can change the way we think to help ourselves feel and act better, even if the outside situation does not change.