title: Psychological treatment for recurrent symptoms of colds and flu in children.
abstract: The effect of stress management and relaxation with guided imagery on upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) was investigated in 45 children with a history of 10 or more infections in the past year. To investigate the influence of psychological treatment on mucosal immunity, secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) was measured before and during treatment. The number of symptomatic episodes during 13 weeks of monitoring was similar in treatment and waitlist conditions; however, episodes were shorter in stress management and guided imagery conditions than in the waitlist condition. Levels of sIgA increased toward the end of treatment. These findings were confirmed in a replication study. In addition, symptom reduction and improvements in psychological state persisted at 1-year follow-up. The findings suggest that psychological treatment interrupts a chronic illness cycle in children with symptoms of recurrent URTI.
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychology, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia. bhewsonb@central.murdoch.edu.au
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hewson-Bower
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Drummond
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D013315:Stress, Psychological
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A