Children can be taught to imagine away pain: Study

Anew study in the US claims that children can learn to use their imagination to endure stomach pain, research shows.
A relaxation-type CD, asking children to imagine themselves in scenarios like floating on a cloud led to dramatic improvements in abdominal pain.
Researchers from the University of North Carolina and Duke University said the technique worked particularly well in children as they have such fertile imaginations. In this study, the children had 20 minute sessions of “guided imagery” — a technique which prompts the subject to imagine things which will reduce their discomfort, the BBC reported.
One example is letting a special shiny object melt into their hand and then placing their hand on the belly, spreading warmth and light from the hand inside the tummy to make a protective barrier inside that stops anything from irritating it.
Among kids who had used the CDs, 73.3% reported their abdominal pain was reduced by half or more by the end of the course compared with 26.7% in the standard care group. In twothirds, improvements were apparent six months later. AGENCIES