Complementary, holistic, and integrative medicine: Meditation practices for pediatric health

Interest in, practice of, and research about a variety of meditation forms for children and youth is growing. Thus far, the evidence supports the feasibility and acceptability of numerous meditative practices, including mindfulness practices, TM, RR, yoga, and tai chi. A number of well-controlled studies support the use of meditation for blood pressure reduction. In addition, research suggests that meditative practices are associated with improvements in attention, behavior, and psychological functioning in children and youth. More rigorous comparative effectiveness research in larger, diverse pediatric populations is needed to be confident that these results are related specifically to the instruction and practice of meditative practices and to tailor recommendations to specific patients. Despite the desirability of additional research, meditation is a very safe practice, with a variety of approaches that can suit diverse unique needs, values, and preferences. Clinicians should use similar approaches and considerations in referring pediatric patients for meditation training as for other complementary therapies and therapists such as massage and acupuncture.