Adverse Events of Mind-Body Interventions in Children: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Mind-body interventions (MBIs) are one of the top ten complementary approaches utilized in pediatrics, but there is limited knowledge on associated adverse events (AE). The objective of this review was to systematically review AEs reported in association with MBIs in children. In this systematic review the electronic databases MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, CDSR, and CCRCT were searched from inception to August 2018. We included primary studies on participants ≤ 21 years of age that used an MBI. Experimental studies were assessed for whether AEs were reported on or not, and all other study designs were included only if they reported an AE. A total of 441 were included as primary pediatric MBI studies. Of these, 377 (85.5%) did not explicitly report the presence/absence of AEs or a safety assessment. There were 64 included studies: 43 experimental studies reported that no AE occurred, and 21 studies reported AEs. There were 37 AEs found, of which the most serious were grade 3. Most of the studies reporting AEs did not report on severity (81.0%) or duration of AEs (52.4%). MBIs are popularly used in children; however associated harms are often not reported and lack important information for meaningful assessment.

Skills or Pills: Randomized Trial Comparing Hypnotherapy to Medical Treatment in Children With Functional Nausea

“…Until then, both HT and SMT can be offered to patients. HT is a very safe treatment without severe side effects, 47 and, in our experience, children usually enjoy it. Moreover, children can learn to practice it themselves, providing them with skills to gain more control over their health without using pills.…”

Hypnotherapy in Pediatric Gastroenterology

“…They enjoy listening to the exercises and creating their own stories with their vivid imagination. Side effects are infrequent during hypnosis (8). Sometimes, dizziness is reported, which can be prevented by lying down during the hypnosis sessions.…”

“…Sometimes, dizziness is reported, which can be prevented by lying down during the hypnosis sessions. In case reports, other adverse events like increased anxiety, dissociated states, depersonalization phenomena, physical discomfort, and retroactive amnesia have been described, but they are rare (8).…”

Home-based guided hypnotherapy for children with functional abdominal pain and irritable bowel syndrome in primary care: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

“…Limited trials report side effects or adverse events, but some rare, mild to moderate adverse events have been reported. 23 Indeed, hypnotherapy should always be performed by a trained professional. 24 25 Research in children and adolescents has found that hypnotherapy significantly reduces abdominal pain and symptom scores.…”

“…Hypnotherapy is generally considered safe. Limited trials report side effects or adverse events, but some rare, mild to moderate adverse events have been reported 23. Indeed, hypnotherapy should always be performed by a trained professional 24 25.…”