Clinical Research and Development Background For The IBS Child's Program

From HelpforIBS.com

Michael Mahoney is one of the United Kingdom's leading Clinical Hypnotherapists in the treatment of IBS.

The hypnotherapy sessions in this program are unique to clinical hypnotherapist Michael Mahoney, who developed and used the protocol with many children with IBS over the years.

The at-home IBS audio program grew out of his clinical practice treatments of children with IBS. The program's initial formal clinical research began with in-person IBS treatments, involving 16 children (10 girls and 6 boys, ages 8 to 13). The children received IBS hypnotherapy sessions at the Guardian Medical Centre, Warrington, Cheshire. The children also listened to recordings of their sessions in their own home, under the supervision of their parents where applicable.

An initial consultation and evaluation was given to each child to determine the nature and their perception of their condition. Parents were interviewed separately and apprised of the treatment protocol and their need for involvement.

Each child was asked to rate their IBS symptoms and emotional/social areas of concern on a scale of 0 to 10 (10 being very severe and 0 being non-existent). They were also asked to rate their general happiness from 0 to 10. This was done to get a baseline of their condition, so that it could be evaluated with their rankings after the completion of the program.

For Parents
Parents were put at ease and given a private introductory session fully explaining the nature of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Functional Abdominal Pain, and related symptoms and emotional concerns. They were told how the clinical hypnotherapy sessions would help their child reduce or alleviate IBS symptoms. It was fully expected that the parent would take part in their child's therapy sessions by explaining any further questions, providing reassurance, and ensuring compliance in listening to the sessions. Each live session was recorded for the child to listen to, according to a specific schedule at home, until the next scheduled appointment for the subsequent live session. All live sessions were recorded in this way.

Parents were apprised that IBS is still a major concern for doctors, that it is a complex disorder, and there are still many more questions than answers. IBS may start with what seems a simple stomachache, but so often leads to the disruption of many parts of the child's life, and the lives of those around them. This adult session empathizes with the parents' experience of cancelled trips to school, their child curled up in pain, and refusing to move or go out. Often this has a social impact as well. The child may drop out of clubs, after school activities, and even lose contact with friends.

Despair is felt, and confidence and self-esteem are reduced as all attempts at reassurance falter. The parents are informed that once trust has been gained, the majority of children and teens are excellent to work with. They listen, they are honest, and they are willing to put in the time and effort to help themselves.

Further information is given on the frustrations of both child and parent, and how they can work together to help the situation not only on the level of obvious symptoms, but the emotional aspects as well.

For The Child
Each child was given a first introductory session that was not hypnotherapy, but that explained the nature of their treatment, asked them questions about their pain and other symptoms, explained the brain-gut connection underlying IBS in simple terms, and made them feel comfortable and cared for.

The second session with the child was also introductory in nature and provided simple exercises for defining pain and thinking about it from a different perspective. The child was encouraged to think about their symptoms and problems in a new way, and to take ownership of them, as well as to know that they would be given the tools to do so in an easy, structured way.

The following six sessions for the child were completed over several weeks, and consisted of gut-specific hypnotherapy:

1. The first hypnotherapy session helps the child learn to relax and become accustomed to the hypnotherapy process, and to feel good about themselves taking time to get better.

2. The second hypnotherapy session used a combination of gentle imagery as well as the child's own answers to questions asked in the introduction to help address the child's symptoms. They learn to let go of those things no longer needed, like the worry about their stomach, and any worries about going out or going to school, visiting people or doing new things, or any other areas of concern for the child.

3. The third hypnotherapy session assists the child in looking forward to the future without symptoms, feeling well and able to move forward in a whole and healthy way.

4. The child's fourth hypnotherapy session uses further gentle imagery to address concerns with digestive motility, so that the child uses their own natural abilities to balance the digestive system and reduce or eliminate unwanted digestive symptoms of IBS.

5. In the fifth hypnotherapy session the child learns to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Processes and imagery are provided for the child to move even further into the future, removing any remaining areas of pain. They learn to look forward to taking part in life without worry or fear of any situation at home or school. They learn to see themselves in everyday life living it as they want to free of IBS.

6. The sixth and final hypnotherapy session encapsulates the previous sessions, embedding them further and helping to maintain the progress made through the program. This session provides a means to continue with improvements beyond the duration of the active sessions.

Participation for the child simply comprised attending the live sessions, then listening to the recording of that session according to a specific schedule in their own home until the next scheduled session.

Upon completion of the final session the child was again asked to rank their progress by rating the 27 symptoms and emotional/social areas of concern. They were again also asked to rate their general happiness. Improvement was shown on all levels.

In order to determine maintenance and continued improvement, additional rankings were provided by the children at several times in the year following their completion of the hypnotherapy program. These subsequent rankings indicated even further progress.

In addition to improvements ranked, further feedback indicated secondary outcomes. Parents became closer to their children, and the children received validation for their condition, which, in turn, further helped their progress. The children indicated that the sessions were pleasant and easy to do, and they were pleased that they were feeling better - and as indicated by feedback - much happier overall.