Pediatric Illnesses and Pediatric Settings

Abstract

Transdiagnostic treatments such as the Unified Protocol are uniquely situated to support health issues that present in childhood as well as in pediatric medical settings. In particular, the high comorbidity between anxiety and somatic concerns makes transdiagnostic approaches important to utilize in medical settings where they may first appear. There is limited literature on adapting the Unified Protocol for the Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children (UP-C) in these settings, but some promising initial work has been done in the area of chronic pain. Clinicians are encouraged to consider adapting the UP-C to work with both health conditions and settings in childhood, given the likelihood of comorbid physical and mental health challenges in pediatrics. In addition, adaptations to a health care setting should focus on decreasing the frequency and duration of UP-C encounters while also working to address symptoms before they become more acute.