Bonus Immunotherapy Meditation: My Little Garden

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This gentle, imaginative meditation helps kids feel calmer and more confident during oral immunotherapy (OIT), Tolerance Induction Program (TIP), or sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) allergy dosing. Together with their trusted adult, children visualize their dose as a tiny seed planted in an imaginary garden, growing stronger over time. Through slow breathing, grounding, and playful imagery, this practice helps settle the nervous system while focusing on pleasant sensations, and shifting focus away from the often anxiety-provoking and unpleasant taste and texture of the dose.

Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme!
www.kyledine.com

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-thefoodallergypsychologist.com
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-Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist
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Episode Transcript

Amanda Whitehouse, PhD (00:00):
Hi there.
Thank you for letting me joinyou today to take your dose.
We're going to get ready foryour immunotherapy dose together
by imagining something special.
Let's sit or lie down in areally cozy spot with your
favorite blanket or stuffedanimal, and hopefully one of
your favorite grownups therebeside you.
Both of you take a big, deepbreath in.

(00:25):
And let it out slowly.
If you're comfortable, you canclose your eyes and imagine that
you're outside.
Breathe in and breathe out.

(00:45):
Let's imagine finding a big,fluffy dandelion growing in the
grass.
We're going to pick it up.
Take a big deep breath in andthen blow the seeds off of the
fluffy white dandelion.
Let's pick another one.
Breathe in and blow the seedsoff.

(01:16):
Now take a moment to see wherethe seeds go.
Watch how they float on thewind, so light and fluffy, and
imagine where they might end uplanding on the ground and
growing.
When you take your immunotherapydose, you are like a gardener
planting tiny seeds every day.

(01:38):
These seeds need a little bit ofsunshine and a little bit of
water.
They grow slowly, one leaf orone petal at a time, but every
day they get bigger andstronger.
When you take your dose, it'slike the sunshine or the water
for your body.
It's helping your body learn howto grow strong around something

(01:59):
that used to bother it.
You're not doing it all at once.
You're doing it a little bit ata time.
The foods that used to cause youan allergic reaction are things
that you can teach your body tostay calm around and not to
react to anymore.
You don't do it all at once andyou don't have to do it on your
own.
You have all of your grownups,your doctors and nurses, to help

(02:21):
you and to teach your body.
You do a little bit at a timeeach day, and you wait for your
safety to grow just like apatient gardener.
Let's think about the place inyour house that you're at right
now.
Ready to take your dose.
It might be your kitchen table,your dining room, your living

(02:41):
room.
What does it smell like there?
Can you smell the last thingthat somebody cooked, or maybe
the smell of one of yourfavorite people or pets in your
house?
What sounds do you hear?
Is there the voice of someonewho loves you and is there with
you taking care of you?
Maybe there's music playing orthe sound of someone doing

(03:03):
something to take care of you.
Like washing, laundry, orcleaning up the kitchen.
Do you have soft, comfortablethings there with you?
Maybe your favorite blanket or astuffed animal?
You might be wearing yourfavorite cozy sweatshirt or
sitting on a nice, soft, comfyseat.
Let your body relax into theseat.

(03:26):
What do you see around you?
Are there pictures of you withyour family on the tables or
hanging on the wall?
Are some of your favorite toysand games around you, reminding
you of the things that you liketo do, and maybe there's someone
there with you right now smilingand looking at you While you

(03:48):
listen together.
All of these things that you canfeel, smell, see, and hear, and
even the thing that you're aboutto taste are reminders that
you're safe right now.
These are the things that willhelp your body remember, it's
okay to relax.
Everything around you isfamiliar and you're ready, so

(04:10):
it's time to take your dose..
As you take your dose, thinkabout the garden.
Think about the flowers that youwant to plant and grow there.
Think about what it might smelllike with all of those beautiful
flowers blooming.
Imagine the bright sunshinebeaming down in your garden to

(04:33):
help it grow.
The cool breeze as the flowerswave in the wind and the soft
raindrops that fall to water.
Everything that you're trying togrow in your garden you're
taking a little bit more of yourdose.
Sometimes it's tempting to thinktoo much about what it tastes
like or how it feels in yourmouth, or thoughts about your

(04:54):
dose.
Instead, we're going to thinkabout the flowers.
Or maybe you don't want to growflowers.
Maybe you want to grow a hugeforest of tall trees where
animals can live.
You can grow anything that you'dlike in this garden.
You can get out some paper anddraw a picture of it while
you're working on the rest ofyour dose.

(05:15):
Or you can tell your grownupwho's there with you, what seed
you're planting in your gardentoday specifically, or maybe
what animal is finding yourforest today.
Feel free to pause therecording, continue to draw,
imagine, or talk about whatyou're growing until you're
finished taking the rest of yourdose.

(05:39):
Once your dose is all finished,it's time to rest just like you
always do.
Your body knows what to do withthis.
It's working gently and safelyone tiny bit at a time.
One dose each day to build yourstrength.
Just like planting one seed eachday.
To grow your garden or yourforest, take another breath in

(06:01):
and picture your garden gettingtaller and greener.
Take another breath and imaginewhat you'd like it to look like
someday.
Remember that each day you takeyour dose is a step closer to
growing that garden When you'reready, you can wiggle your

(06:23):
fingers and toes.
Smile, a little smile and feelproud of the work that you're
doing every day to take goodcare of yourself.
Next, decide what you're goingto do while you rest Whether
you're going to draw, read, playa quiet game, or maybe snuggle
up and watch a TV show or amovie with somebody who loves
you.

(06:44):
Whatever it is, I hope you canrelax and enjoy and I look
forward to seeing what you plantin your garden tomorrow.