The pain, palliative care, and integrative medicine program at Children’s Minnesota
The Pain, Palliative Care & Integrative Medicine Department is dedicated to relieving pain, discomfort and stress of a child’s medical condition to improve quality of life. We take a comprehensive approach by bringing together a team of Kid Experts including; medical providers, physical therapists, integrative medicine practitioners, psychological support experts, social workers, child life specialists, and spiritual care professionals. Our multidisciplinary team partners with families and their child’s existing medical team to enhance quality of life and overall well-being.
Within the pain, palliative, and integrative medicine department, we offer three specialized branches of care tailored to your child’s unique needs:
Pain and Functional Rehabilitation Medicine
Our pain and functional rehabilitation team provides outpatient care to help your child or teenager regain their previous levels of functionality. At Children’s Minnesota, we treat a range of conditions that affect children and teens by impeding their ability to fully participate in life’s activities.
Palliative Care Program
The palliative care team serves as an additional support system, offering assistance with symptom management and guidance for families when making significant medical decisions for children with serious illnesses. Palliative care is suitable at any stage of illness and complements healing treatments, allowing children to live as fully and comfortably as possible. Our team provides in-hospital, in-clinic, and at-home care, tailored to your child’s specific needs.
Integrative Medicine
The integrative medicine program combines the strengths of supportive and standard medical therapies to create holistic solutions for children dealing with chronic illness, acute and chronic pain, medical treatment side effects, as well as emotional challenges like depression and anxiety. Our approach is designed to complement, not replace, traditional treatments.
Leading the nation in complete care for kids’ pain, palliative, and integrative medicine solutions
Children’s Minnesota’s pediatric pain, palliative, and integrative medicine department stands as one of the largest and most comprehensive of its kind in the nation. We serve patients at both our Minneapolis and St. Paul hospitals, offering care through the Kiran Stordalen and Horst Rechelbacher Pediatric Pain, Palliative, and Integrative Medicine Clinic, as well as through the Children’s Minnesota at home palliative care and home hospice programs.
Outcomes and stories
Nora’s Legacy
“The Pain, Palliative and Integrative Medicine gave us guidance, support and encouragement during the most difficult times. They cared for us as a ‘whole’ and quickly became part of our family. Once we had received our life-changing diagnosis, Dr. Kris Catrine was ready to walk beside us. She was a book of knowledge, and we appreciated her willingness to be upfront and open with us. Dr. Catrine cried with us, sat with us in silence and she loved our sweet girl.”
Kelly Peters – Nora’s mom
Ashley’s family support
In 2014, Ashley‘s parents, Carmelita and Rafael, were referred to the Pain, Palliative Care and Integrative Medicine Department at Children’s Minnesota by their neurologist. Her doctor could see that Ashley was experiencing increasing amounts of pain, and they were also worried she wouldn’t make it for more than 6 months.
They describe the support that the Pain and Palliative team offered them in and out of the hospital, “If we have any questions, we can call and right away I always get an answer. They’re always there for us.”
Carmelita – Ashley’s mom
