Pediatric Chronic Pain Overview
At Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego, controlling your child’s pain is important to us. Children can struggle with pain due to many factors – from the obvious acute pain of injury to the unseeable and unmeasurable pain of complex regional pain syndrome.
No matter the cause of a child’s pain, there is always a psychological angle to how pain is perceived and managed. Uncontrolled pain can be harmful and delay the healing process for a child. That is why our treatment approach focuses on the whole child by incorporating both mental and physical aspects of health into healing.
Our Chronic Pain Multidisciplinary Program Services Include:
- Inpatient Chronic Pain Management Program
- Outpatient Chronic Pain Management Program, affiliated with Rehabilitation Medicine
- Inpatient Acute Pain Service
- Integrative Medicine
- Rheumatology
- Neurology
- Gastroenterology
- Orthopedics
Chronic Pain Conditions
Chronic pain refers to persistent or recurrent pain that lasts for an extended period of time and can affect children and adolescents, just like it can affect adults.
When a child experiences chronic pain, their nervous system distributes pain signals where they aren’t needed. This may be due to either an initial injury or an illness that has already healed, or there is no clear biological source. This misfiring causes discomfort that can continue for weeks, months, or years. Approximately 20% to 35% of children and adolescents are affected by chronic pain worldwide.
The pain experienced by children with chronic pain can range from mild to severe, significantly impacting their daily activities. Pediatric chronic pain can affect a child’s school attendance, sleep patterns, mood, appetite, and participation in social or recreational events.
Pediatric Chronic Pain Conditions we treat can include:
- Functional Neurologic Disorder
- Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome ( AMPS)
- Chronic Pain Syndrome
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
- Chronic Headaches, Migraines
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic Abdominal pain
- Neuropathic pain
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Inpatient Chronic Pain Management Program
In 2018, Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego partnered with Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Jersey to launch Southern California’s first inpatient children’s chronic pain management program. We know some pain medications can lead to dependency and many times are not needed to control pain. This is why we follow Children’s Specialized Hospital’s opioid- and pain medication-free model of pain management for pediatric patients and adolescent patients.
Instead of focusing on pain medication, our pediatric pain management program aims to provide coping strategies and healthier ways to respond to pain.
Finding the Right Care for Your Child
We know that navigating chronic pain conditions can be challenging. Below are some recommended steps for finding the right care for your child.
- Primary care – The first step in your child’s journey should be with their pediatrician. Find a pediatrician.
- Labs – Your pediatrician or primary care doctor can order a set of laboratory (blood) work to see if there is a medical reason for the pain. See our resources list.
- Outpatient Chronic Pain Management Program – This is most beneficial for patients who are having daily mild-moderate difficulties with physical functioning and participate in some in-person school. Learn more about the Outpatient Chronic Pain Management Program.
- Inpatient Chronic Pain Program – This is for patients who are having daily moderate-severe difficulties with physical functioning and are unable to participate in school or have trouble socializing. Learn more about the Inpatient Chronic Pain Management Program.