By Mindfulness meditation may help in pediatric chronic pain. Parents with a child experiencing chronic pain, feel as though they are experiencing the pain. They are worrying about their child’s pain, living with ongoing stress as a result. New research shows that there may be a tool that bring some relief to the adolescents suffering from the chronic pain. But also to the parents living with the worry from watching their children in pain.
An April 2017 study in the journal Children, shared the results of a study where researchers put mindfulness meditation to the test, to see if it helped children who had chronic pain (1). They also tested to see if it would bring about less worry for the parents. The six-week study involved 20 adolescents ages 13-17 who had chronic pain for at least 12 months. The types of pain they experienced included abdominal, headaches, musculoskeletal, joint pain, regional pain syndrome, and fibromyalgia.
Prior to the study beginning, researchers measured the participants’ pain intensity, functional disability, depression, and how much the parents worried about their child’s pain. Each session was 60 minutes long and included a 20 minute therapist-led session at the beginning and end, where they taught the participants about mindfulness meditation. They also asked the participants to do the meditation for 15 minutes per day, every day, for the six-week period.
The study found that Mindfulness meditation has no significant impact on the level of pain or depression that the students experienced. However, there was a significant change in the improvement in functional disability and the frequency of painful functioning complaints.
They found a significant decrease in the amount of worry that the parents had regarding their child’s pain. Many teens also suggested that the number of sessions of mindfulness meditation should increased.
There have been additional studies, showing the benefits of mindfulness meditation for chronic pain. But with this one aimed particularly at pediatric patients. This brings hope to the parents. Mindfulness meditation is something that anyone can do. It doesn’t take any kind of expensive equipment or lessons. It simply involves doing meditation where the person focused on the breath and body. Maintaining the focus on the breath,there may be thoughts that come. But the goal is to gently let them pass and bring the attention back to the breath.
Those interested trying mindfulness meditation helping their chronic pain may find classes in their area as a start. Then they continue the practice at home. Instruction and guidance on doing it can also found online. Giving parents tool to use helping their children suffering from chronic pain. Parents and the kids can gain benefits from engaging in daily mindfulness meditation.
Source:
Children (Basel). 2017 Apr 26;4(5). pii: E32. doi: 10.3390/children4050032. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316498265_A_Pilot_Study_of_Mindfulness_Meditation_for_Pediatric_Chronic_Pain
