Expressing and Coping with Chronic Pain in Children

Expressions of pain can be as varied as the personalities of individuals. For some, pain is expressed by obvious crying while others express pain through isolation and loneliness. For children who suffer from chronic pain, expressions of pain are normally not inhibited and, as a result, parents can often decipher the pain messages of their children appropriately.

For some children, with expanded vocubulary, pain may be described in a variety of adjective and, at times, may seem over-the-top and dramatic with even varying degrees of pain. For children without an expanded vocabulary, traditionally, the pain will be expressed as a more relative crying and irritability display. And, yet, for some children, the pain is internalized and controlled with parents only noticing a slight change in the child's behavior, often described as simply "not normal".

For children who suffer from chronic pain, the pain factor almost seems to be an every day challenge. For many parents, the consistent repetitive questioning of a child's pain almost seems bothersome. To offset this challenge, parents of children who suffer from chronic pain should work to establish open communication with the child to ensure the child understands that, even if you don't ask about pain on a regular basis, the child is free to come to you and complain of pain and you, as the parent, will work with them to come up with ways in which to alleviate the pain.

Common methods for alleviating chronic pain in children often include the use of oral medications. However, for some parents, the use of oral medications, in controlling pain in their child, is reduced by the use of other chronic pain alleviating activities. Children who suffer from chronic pain may find some relief in relaxation techniques such as warm water baths, listening to music and even massaging the area of pain.