Complementary and Integrative Medicine
Contact Complementary and Integrative Medicine
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. 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.
Meet the
Complementary and Integrative Medicine care team.
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.
