Pediatric Integrative Medicine

Evaluation of Integrative Medicine Services

Background | Integrative health practices such as acupuncture, massage, mindfulness, and yoga are increasingly being implemented in pediatric medical settings to support comprehensive care and improve patient outcomes. Integrative practices have shown promise in reducing pain, managing symptoms, and improving emotional well-being among children and adolescents. Despite growing interest in pediatric integrative medicine, limited research exists on its real-world implementation in medical settings. The study adds value to the field by increasing both the accessibility of integrative medicine practices and the range of participant conditions.

Study | The study aims to evaluate the impact of pediatric integrative medicine (PIM) practices including acupuncture, yoga, massage, mindfulness, and biofeedback across a variety of domains (i.e., sleep, anxiety, depression, inflammatory markers) amongst inpatient and outpatient populations at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Objectives | 1) To evaluate impact of integrative medicine practices on child and adolescent health outcomes and health utilization. 2) To compare the effects of the different integrative medicine services (i.e., acupuncture, massage, yoga, biofeedback, mindfulness, or a combination of multiple) on quality of life, pain, mood, sleep, stress, coping, and health utilization. 3) To compare the effects of the frequency of integrative medicine services on quality of life, mood, sleep, stress, pain, coping, and health utilization.

Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria | Inclusion: CHLA patients between ages 8 and 21 referred for integrative medicine services. Exclusion: Patients with severe psychiatric disorders or cognitive impairment that may interfere with their capacity to take surveys and non-English speaking patients.

Funding | Funded by the Carl F. Braun Family Trust​. The Braun Family has gifted CHLA $1.9 million over three years for research, education, and clinical programs related to pediatric integrative medicine. As contributors at California Institute of Technology and Pepperdine University, the Carl F. Braun Family has a historical interest in supporting academic institutions and medical facilities.

PIM Services

  • Acupuncture

    Acupuncture is a therapy from Traditional Chinese Medicine to help rebalance the flow of energy. It decreases pain intensity, need for medications, medication side effects, inflammation, and anxiety.

  • Biofeedback

    Biofeedback therapy teaches participants to control involuntary body responses. It involves computer games and sensors which help participants lower their stress, pain, and anxiety. It works to improve knowledge and coping skills.

  • Massage

    Pediatric massage in a hospital setting means gentle touch consisting of light, slow, and repetitive strokes. It improves immune and gastrointestinal systems by stimulating the nervous system, and reduces muscular and nerve pain.

  • Mindfulness

    Mindfulness includes breathing exercises, imagery practices, and different forms of meditation. It can improve symptoms of anxiety, depression, ADHD, and other psychopathology.

  • Yoga

    This form of yoga can be done in a hospital bed or chair. Practices include targeted posture support, visualization and proprioception techniques, breath regulation, sound therapy, and deep relaxation.

Clinical Team

  • Mikki Eason

    ACUPUNCTURIST

    Mikki is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine and a registered nurse on 4East (Hematology/Oncology). She has worked at CHLA for 10 years and has had the honor to advocate, care for, support, and watch patients thrive​. Her dream is to help our pain and palliative care teams continue improving the care we provide our patients to help reduce pain and discomfort using pediatric integrative medicine practices.

  • Monika Kobylecka

    ACUPUNCTURIST

    Monika is a California Board and Nationally licensed acupuncturist practicing Kiiko Matsumoto Style (KMS)​. Since 2010, Monika has worked at CHLA with multidisciplinary teams, including Pain & Palliative Care​. She started the CHLA Employee Acupuncture Clinic to provide acupuncture for her colleagues and hospital staff.​​ Monika has also published manuscripts on acupuncture!

  • Gabrielle Lewis

    YOGA PRACTITIONER

    Gabrielle started her journey into the world of health at the University of Durham, an Ivy league school in England, graduating with a first class honors degree in Applied Psychology. She currently studies the ancient practice of yoga and meditation with world renowned teachers​. Gabrielle has taught in many different environments from mental health facilities, the corporate world, USC, and working with the US Army and a Special Forces Unit​. She sits on a Research Advisory Committee, currently researching the stress response in different demographics, and health conditions. Her vision is to provide a new global framework by delivering an integrative approach in empowering the individual in understanding, and supporting their health, surrounding three key principles: Education, Experience, and Evolution.

  • Alexis Yetwin, PhD

    BIOFEEDBACK PRACTITIONER

    Dr. Yetwin is a pediatric psychologist at CHLA, embedded into the outpatient Pain Medicine and Cystic Fibrosis clinics. She has strong ties to CHLA, having completed both an APA-accredited internship and two-year fellowship at the institution. She earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology following undergraduate study at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Yetwin has a strong interest in mind-body therapies for chronic pain and currently provides biofeedback therapy in the outpatient pain clinic. Her research and scholarly work have focused primarily on pediatric chronic pain, complementary and alternative medicine, stress, and trauma. She has provided pediatric biofeedback services for over 12 years​.

Preliminary Qualitative Findings

“I was having some problems with breathing in and I don’t know how it worked but I can breathe in completely now!”

— Acupuncture Patient

“I love how versatile this treatment was for managing most pains even outside of the pain I was originally here for!”

— Biofeedback Patient

“She was calm, sweet, delicate, and very sufficient. I enjoyed my session and it helped me relax and allow me to focus on breathing more and bring peace to the madness and pain. Thank you.”

— Massage Patient

“I really enjoyed my session and it was very helpful. Made me feel very calm. I would recommend and do it again.”

— Yoga Patient