Hypnotic Treatment of a Child with Warts | Spontaneous Remission Database

Abstract

Three patients (12- and 14-year-old females and a 12-year-old male) with an immunologic deficit developed multiple warts which proved refractory to all therapy. The warts disappeared in response to hypnosis in all 3 cases, and there was no recurrence after 8 months of follow-up.

Case Details

Personal Characteristics

Holly, a nine-year-old fourth grader, the only child of a divorced couple, fluent in speech, open in expressing her feelings, cooperative, welladjusted and contented girl, performed well in school except during the past year when her grades had plummeted

Clinical Characteristics

The lesions began on her left thumb and subsequently spread to both hands and to the face. The lesions increased in number and size. Presented with 31 warts including two of filiform type, one on each eyelid, five of the planar type at each corner of the mouth, three large lesions on the right hand, and eighteen, varying in size, on the left hand.

Remission Characteristics

The lesions began to resolve after the first session. By the fifth visit holly had lost a total of 26 warts. Two remained on her left hand, and the original three remained on the right hand, but her face was entirely clear. Three months following the start of therapy, of the 31 presenting lesions, two small warts remained on her left hand.

Treatment & Mechanisms

Proposed Remission Mechanisms

Hypnosis was readily induced using eye closure and simulated stair descent. Hand levitation was suggested and promptly occurred. Holly was then told that she would feel a tingling sensation in all the warts on the left side. After she felt the tingling, she was told that the warts on that side would begin to go away.

Clinical Treatment

On three occasions she was treated with unknown topical medication without improvement. Five weeks prior to the onset of hypnotherapy, she was treated unsuccessfully in the dermatology clinic of the massachusetts general hospital with acetysalicylic acid plaster.

Non-Clinical Treatment

Hypnotherapy

Additional Notes

Holly was teased by her classmates who called her warty hand, warty face. It was for this reason that her interest in school work declined. After the treatment, she was no longer teased at school and her mother stated that Holly was scoring hundreds on her schoolwork. Her appetite had increased and the teacher reported an improvement in general interest.