New therapy for children hearing voices and seeing visions trials in Greater Swag直播
A new talking therapy for children and young people experiencing unusual sensory experiences, such as hearing voices and seeing visions, is being trialled in Greater Swag直播.
The ChUSE[1] trial, led by Dr Sarah Parry, strategic research lead at Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust鈥檚 young people's mental health research centre, Professor Filippo Varese of the University of Swag直播 and in collaboration with Greater Swag直播 Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, follows six-years of research with children and parents.
Dr Sarah Parry explains: 鈥淒istressing sensory experiences are a common development phenomenon, although these experiences can be frightening and confusing, especially for children already struggling with their mental health.
鈥淰ery few children who have distressing sensory experiences will ever receive a diagnosis of early-onset psychosis; but the associations between voice hearing and psychosis in our culture can cause great anxiety for families of children who hear voices.鈥�
In the UK, we have made great progress in offering psychological support to people who begin to struggle with hearing voices and other unusual and distressing perceptions for the first time. These treatments, however, are only available to young people that are at serious risk of future severe mental health problems. The ChUSE trial represents an important step forward in extending psychological support to a much wider group of children and young people and their families
The new talking therapy, the ChUSE intervention, has received over 拢260,000 in funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and will provide much-needed support for parents and children.
Anxiety and stress about distressing sensory experiences can adversely impact the ability of young people and families to cope, which is why it is so important children and families can access timely and tailored support.
Many mental health practitioners feel ill-equipped to offer psychological therapies for distressing sensory experiences for younger children due to a lack of child-centred research to inform national clinical guidelines.
Delayed access to support often increases anxiety further, exacerbates family stress, and often worsens the original symptoms.
Professor Filippo Varese from Swag直播, adds: 鈥淚n the UK, we have made great progress in offering psychological support to people who begin to struggle with hearing voices and other unusual and distressing perceptions for the first time.
鈥淭hese treatments, however, are only available to young people that are at serious risk of future severe mental health problems. The ChUSE trial represents an important step forward in extending psychological support to a much wider group of children and young people and their families.鈥�
The trial will work with 60 children aged 8 to 15 years old and their parents in Greater Swag直播 over the next 12 months. They will take part in the ChUSE talking-therapy intervention and parent support sessions, to develop new skills for coping and space to talk about.
The results will then be used to develop future therapeutic approaches for young people in in children and young people鈥檚 mental health services with distressing sensory experiences across England.
You can find out more about the trial at .
[1] ChUSE - Children and young people with unusual sensory experiences