New ways to treat abdominal pain in children
Official title: A New Paradigm for Treating Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders in Children
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-10852513 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is creating a friendly mobile app that helps kids with tummy pain feel better by using guided imagery therapy, making it easier for them to access helpful support right from their phones.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | April 18, 2019 |
| Project end | November 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $137,928 |
| NIH project number | 3K23DK120928-05S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10852513 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children aged 0-21 who experience functional abdominal pain disorders.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with abdominal pain not related to functional disorders or those outside the age range of 0-21 may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a mobile application that delivers guided imagery therapy to help children suffering from functional abdominal pain disorders. The approach involves using technology to provide psychological interventions that are often inaccessible to many young patients. By refining an existing app prototype through user-centered design, the project aims to enhance treatment accessibility and effectiveness for pediatric patients. The goal is to address both the physical and psychosocial aspects of abdominal pain in children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide an innovative and accessible treatment option for children suffering from chronic abdominal pain.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using mobile health technologies for psychological interventions, indicating potential success for this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hollier, John M — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Hollier, John M
Related research
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-
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-
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-
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This study is looking at how sleep patterns impact teenagers with tummy pain and whether a special treatment called PENFS can help them sleep better and feel less pain.
-
Home-based electrical stimulation for abdominal pain relief
This study is testing a gentle, needle-free method called transcutaneous electrical acustimulation (TEA) to help people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) manage their abdominal pain more easily at home or work, and it will also include a handy app to help track treatment progress.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.