Treatment Planning

Whole Child LA offers state-of-the-art medicine in combination with the regenerative power of complementary therapies to treat children suffering from chronic pain. Many of the children whom we see have complex problems that have not been helped adequately by the biomedical model of care.

Practitioners meet weekly to share insights that they have gained in working with each patient. The collective wisdom and coordinated care greatly enhances the effectiveness of treatment. In addition, we help parents to be good advocate for their child because we know that the entire family is affected by their child’s pain. 

 

Initial Appointment

The first visit at the clinic is a two-hour appointment for the child and parents, with a pediatric pain specialist, where the patient’s narrative about his or her experience takes center stage. We welcome humor and employ empathy in understanding the pain story told by the patient and family.
The essential messages of the first visit are (1) that the pain is real and makes biological sense, (2) the suffering is understandable and makes psychological sense, and (3) that suffering can and will improve first. Pain is not a mystery.

 

 

Team Effort to Care for the Whole Child

WCLA brings all its clinicians under one roof that will provide treatment for children nationally who have the most pain-related disability. Our staff works as a team to develop an individualized approach for each child that involves the active participation of the child and family in finding solutions to the problem.

 

The mind-body therapeutic process is designed to empower the child and family, thus fostering well-being, self-esteem, and improved quality of life. This includes any combination of the following interventions: physical therapy, psychotherapy, meditation, Iyengar yoga, hypnotherapy, acupuncture, art therapy, music therapy, biofeedback, craniosacral therapy, medication, life style education.

 

Importance of Family and Education

We include the family as an integral part of the treatment process and give them choices about the treatment path. This is often a new experience for many families. We spend much time on pain education, describing how pain works and how various treatments might help; rather than “prescribing” for them, we work together to develop a plan that the patient and family believe will work best.

 

 

Strengthening Bonds with Patients

We answer many e-mail messages each year from our patients and their families so that we can maintain contact between appointments. We value these relationships and consider it important to remain accessible.

 

 

 

• Children with diseases such as cancer, arthritis, organ transplants, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, genetic diseases, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, other diseases
• Children with disabling pain associated with migraines, other types of headaches, abdominal pain, fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome (“RSD”) and other neuromuscular pain disorders
• Children with other distressing conditions, such as fear of needles, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic nausea or vomiting, severe itching, or difficult to manage asthma