Kids get Chronic Pain Too: Assessment and Management of Paediatric Chronic Pain
Channel: Children's Healthcare Canada
Date: 2012-01-11

Presenters

Jennifer Stinson RN PhD, Allen Finley MD, Bruce Dick PhD, Anne Ayling Campos PT,

Synopsis

Chronic pain in children is a common and serious health problem due to its complex nature and can result in significant disability. A sub-group of children with recurrent and persistent pain (5-10%) will develop significant pain related disability that increases with age. The most common pain conditions in children are headaches, abdominal pain and musculoskeletal pain. Despite the relatively high prevalence of chronic pain in children and its significant physical, psychological, social and economic impact on children and their families, it is often under-recognized and under-treated by clinicians. The first step in the management of chronic pain is conducting a comprehensive pain history. The treatment of chronic pain involves the use of a range of psychological, physical and pharmacological interventions. Pain is a bio-psycho-social phenomenon and hence a multi-disciplinary, multi-modal approach that incorporates the 3 P's (physical, psychological and pharmacological interventions) is likely to be most effective. Treatment should also address pain-related disability with the goal of maximizing functioning and improving quality of life. This approach includes specific treatment targeting possible underlying pain mechanisms, as well as symptom-focused management addressing pain, sleep disturbance, anxiety, or depressive feelings.

Join us as we explore such questions as:

    What is chronic pain?
    How is chronic different from acute pain?
    What is the epidemiology of chronic pain in children?
    What is the impact of chronic pain on the child, family and society?
    What is involved in a comprehensive pain assessment?
    What are the important elements in the treatment of chronic pain in children in terms of pharmacological, physical and psychological strategies?

Kids have Chronic Pain Too: Assessment and Management of Paediatric Chronic Pain: is the third of a series of webinars jointly supported by the CIHR Team in Children's Pain Grant (PI: Dr. Bonnie Stevens), the CIHR Knowledge Synthesis: Systematic Review of Sweet Solutions for Acute Pain Relief in Infants Grant (PI: Dr. Bonnie Stevens) and CAPHC.

In this webinar, Jennifer Stinson RN PhD and Anne Ayling Campos PT from The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Allen Finley MD from the Izaak Walton Killam (IWK) Hospital for Children and Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; and Bruce Dick PhD from the Stollery Children's Hospital and the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada will draw from their research and clinical expertise to provide an overview of the best evidence for pain assessment and management practices in children and youth with chronic pain.