Impact of Aromatherapy on Nausea in Hospitalized Children Undergoing Rehabilitation

Children will participate in the study for two weeks. One week the child will receive a aromatherapy product for nausea and the other week the child will not receive the product.

If this aromatherapy is effective at decreasing nausea, the child may be more likely to participate in their rehabilitation therapy sessions. Information gathered during the study may potentially benefit other patients by helping to develop hospital practices of using aromatherapy in the pediatric rehabilitation unit.

Children participating in the study may or may not help the child but may help children in the future:

• Children may have less nausea, which could help them feel better, more likely to participate in their rehabilitation activities, and may be able to take better care of themselves.
• Children may have a reduction in the need for taking medications that help nausea.
• The research may benefit children in the future by helping to develop hospital practices about using aromatherapy in pediatric rehabilitation.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients ages 8 to 17 years of age on the rehabilitation unit and service at Arkansas Children's Hospital
• Patients with a Glascow Coma Scale (GCS) of 13-15
• Patients with a Rancho Los Amigos Revised Scale score of 5 or higher
• Ability to read and write in English
• Patient to have an expected length of stay of at least 2 weeks

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with any mechanical or obstructive pathophysiology (appendicitis, bowel obstruction, or intussusception, etc.)
• Known allergy or sensitivity to lavender, peppermint, spearmint, or ginger
• Patients with known asthma and/or pulmonary conditions
• Wards of the State or any other agency or institution