The Carl F. Braun Trust donated $1.92 million to Children's Hospital of Los Angeles to support a three-year study on pediatric pain management.
The study will focus on integrative medicine for pain management, palliative care, sleep and mood, according to an Aug. 22 news release. It will also explore effects on pain management care such as quality of life based on health, reduction of medications seen in outpatient and inpatient care, as well as health system economics, utilization and costs.
The grant will primarily be used to research patient techniques that are not reliant on medication, to be used alongside treatments such as yoga, acupuncture, biofeedback, mindfulness and massage.
"There is an unmet need in pediatrics for complements to medications to control pain and discomfort in children, particularly for patients with chronic and palliative care needs," Jeffrey Gold, PhD, director emeritus and founder of the Pediatric Pain Medicine Clinic at the hospital, said in the release. "Medications work well for our acute care needs, but over time, these medications can cause side effects, including increased pain, as well as decreased effectiveness for children with long-term or chronic illnesses."