Management of chronic pain in children.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the demography, clinical characteristics, treatment, functional limitations and outcomes of patients referred to a paediatric multidisciplinary pain clinic.


METHODS
Prospective data collection, descriptive study.


METHODS
Tertiary referral centre pain clinic (Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne) over two years (March 1998 - March 2000).


METHODS
Pain profile; functional disability (school absenteeism, sleep disturbance and inability to perform sport); treatments received; outcome.


RESULTS
207 patients (mean age, 13.1 years; 73% females; 29% rural residents) were referred in the two years. Concomitant medical conditions were present in 106/207 (51%) patients, the commonest being cerebral palsy or spasticity (22 patients) and malignancy (18). Complex regional pain syndrome was diagnosed in 44 patients. Functional disability due to pain included school absenteeism (95% of school attenders), sleep disruption (71% of all patients) and inability to perform sport (90% of those able to participate in sport previously). Of the 105 patients who missed five or more days of school because of pain, 93 attended school regularly after treatment. Sleep disturbance improved in 129/146 (88%) patients, and 129/147 (88%) resumed sporting activity after multidisciplinary intervention. Outcome was classified as good in 134 patients (65%), moderate in 32 (15%) and poor in 16 (8%).


CONCLUSIONS
Chronic pain in children and adolescents often results in considerable functional disability. Functional improvement can be achieved using a multidisciplinary approach to pain management in children.
Chalkiadis
G A
GA
The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC. chalkiag@cryptic.rch.unimelb.edu.au
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017281:Cost of Illness; D019988:Children with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D059408:Pain Management; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology