Eye Movement Therapy to Help Children With Sickle Cell Disease Manage Pain

This trial is testing a therapy called EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) to help children with sickle cell disease manage pain and how it interferes with their daily activities. EMDR is a type of talk therapy that uses guided eye movements to help process painful or traumatic memories. Researchers want to know if this treatment can reduce pain interference, help children feel less anxious or sad, and improve their quality of life.

Children with sickle cell disease often struggle with ongoing pain that disrupts school, friendships, and daily activities. Current pain treatments don't always address how the pain and stress affect a child's emotional well-being. This trial explores whether this therapy could help by treating both the emotional impact of pain and the pain itself.