Integrative Health SIG - NAPNAP

Integrative Health SIG

NAPNAP Integrative Health SIG

NAPNAP’s Integrative Health (IH) special interest group was established in 2015 to provide pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) and other pediatric providers with evidence-based information on holistic medical approaches that integrate complementary medicine with allopathic medicine to provide the most comprehensive care for our patients and families. We hope to collaborate with PNPs and other providers that share an interest in integrative medicine and provide a place for information sharing with current, evidence-based research when available. 

Additional Information

Email: [email protected] 

Chair: Teresa D. Schenck, DNP, ARNP, CPNP-PC

Co-chair: Jamie L. Reddinger, DNP CPNP AC/PC CSN

Secretary: Kim Levinson , MSN, CPNP

  • Continue to identify NAPNAP members interested in the implementation, practice and evaluation of pediatric care delivery via a holistic and integrative health approach.
  • Increase membership by 5%.
  • Promote best practices of incorporating integrative health measures in pediatric practice.
  • Encourage scholarly activity related to best practice in the use of integrative modalities in the care of pediatric patients.
  • Provide a resource site for information useful to clinicians in providing integrative modalities.

Consider evidence-based, safe treatments for your patients to support their immune systems. Managing stress is important to decreasing inflammation and building up immunity. Here are a few strategies you can recommend.

    • Yoga has been shown to decrease stress and depression and there are wonderful classes for children available online. Learn more about Cosmic Kids yoga and Kundalini yoga:           
    • Meditation is excellent for decreasing stress and getting you in touch with your body. There are Transcendental Meditation and Mindfulness classes available and many apps such as Headspace, Insight Timer and Calm. Meditation is often best when practiced daily as a family.  
    • Movement helps put the body in a parasympathetic mode and moves the body to a rest, relaxation and digest state from the chronic flight or fight state the current situation is keeping us in. Tai Chi and Qi Gong are excellent ways to stay moving even when at home. Learn more about Qi Gong for kids. 
    • Earthing/grounding has been demonstrated to decrease the pro-inflammatory markers in minutes and to increase energy and even decrease jet lag. Recommend your patients play bare-footed in their yards at least 15 to 20 minutes a day.
    • Emotional Freedom Technique or tapping of the meridians has been shown to decrease pain, anxiety and turn off the brain response to negative thoughts. This tapping technique can easily be learned online and taught to patients.
    • Herbal and vitamin supplements are safe and easily available for children. Making sure that Vitamin D levels are normal is crucial for immune health and a supplement should be recommended if levels are low. Zinc, Vitamin C and Elderberry are other supplements that provide immune support.
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