Pain Concern has created a leaflet for parents of children and young people with chronic pain.
It looks at some of the challenges and how you can face them with top tips from parents, healthcare professionals and young people.
What is chronic pain?
Chronic pain is pain that has lasted for more than three months or pain that has lasted beyond the
time the body would usually heal or recover. Chronic pain can develop after an illness or injury or for
no obvious reason. Chronic pain is caused by changes to the nervous system which mean that the
brain produces pain even when there is no harm to the body. Scientists are learning more about why
this happens. The medicines available often cannot relieve all of the pain.1
How will pain affect my child?
Chronic pain can affect your child’s emotional wellbeing and cause difficulties for them in school and
their other activities. These impacts can be reduced if their pain is well managed. Each child or young
person will have a different experience depending on their age, personality and other factors as well
as the treatment and support they receive.
