Treatment of Functional Abdominal Pain in Children: Evaluation of Relaxation/Guided Imagery and Chamomile Tea as Therapeutic Modalities

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Recurrent Abdominal Pain

In brief

The purpose of this study is to investigate novel methods from CAM aimed at alleviating chronic pain related to functional bowel disorders in children. To that end, two CAM modalities will be investigated independently of each other, namely Guided Imagery and the use of Chamomile teas as a form of botanical therapy. Functional abdominal pain is defined as pain unrelated to an identifiable organic gastrointestinal disorder. The two subcategories of functional bowel disorders examined by this study will be RAP and IBS. The definition of RAP in children will follow Apley's classic definition of paroxysmal abdominal pain occurring in children between the ages of 4 and 16 years that persists for more than three months, with a frequency of three or more episodes of abdominal pain over a three month interval. A similar pattern of abdominal pain relieved by defecation and/or associated with altered bowel habits and/or stool consistency will be defined as IBS. Despite the above definitions, note that the typical frequency of pain episodes associated with functional bowel disorders is at least three times per month.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT00010933

Run by

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Starts

1998-09-01

Expected to finish

2004-06-01

Last updated by the study team

2006-08-18

Who can join

Age: any, up to 20. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Patients with Recurrent Abdominal Pain (RAP), as defined by the Apley's classic definition of paroxysmal abdominal pain occurring in children between the ages of 4 and 16 years that persists for more than three months, with a frequency of three or more episodes of abdominal pain over a three month interval
• Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) defined by a similar pattern of abdominal pain as for RAP patients, and relieved by defecation and/or associated with altered bowel habits and/or stool consistency

Where it is running

• University of Arizona, Department of Pediatrics, Health Sciences Center — Tucson, Arizona, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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