Why is a psychologist often involved in pediatric pain clinic care?
Pediatric pain management is a multidisciplinary approach. If a child has chronic pain, then it does affect every aspect of the child’s life, including their self-esteem, socialization and general quality of life. A psychologist can help determine a child’s strengths and weaknesses for coping with the pain and can offer strategies to improve coping that can lessen pain, improve self-esteem and enhance quality of life.
Pediatric pain management is a multidisciplinary approach. If a child has chronic pain, then it does affect every aspect of the child’s life, including their self-esteem, socialization and general quality of life. A psychologist can help determine a child’s strengths and weaknesses for coping with the pain and can offer strategies to improve coping that can lessen pain, improve self-esteem and enhance quality of life. Q: My child has had multiple tests and x-rays yet they can find nothing wrong. Is my child faking the pain? What should I do? A: Chronic pain syndromes are a collection of certain symptoms and often cannot be seen on lab tests or X-rays. A pain expert has studied pain syndromes and will more readily recognize the grouping of symptoms as a particular syndrome. Children as young as three years of age can describe their pain. They will use terms that are appropriate for their age. Watch for pain behavior such as holding or guarding of the affected area or avoidance of activi
