title: Pain Amplification Syndrome: A Biopsychosocial Approach.
abstract: Pediatric neurologists frequently encounter patients who present with significant musculoskeletal pain that cannot be attributed to a specific injury or illness, which can often be defined as pain amplification syndrome (PAS). PAS in children and adolescents is the result of a heightened pain sensitivity pathway, which is intensified by significant biological, psychological, and social contributors. Appropriate assessment and multimodal intervention of PAS are crucial to treatment success, including neurology and behavioral health collaborative treatment plans to restore patient function and reduce pain perception. Pediatric neurologists are imperative in the identification of patients with PAS, providing the family assurance in diagnosis and validation of pain, and directing patients to the appropriate multidisciplinary treatment pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT; Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT; Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, CT; Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT. Electronic address: Lisa.Namerow@hhchealth.org.
authors.forename: Lisa B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Namerow
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT; Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, CT; Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT.
authors.forename: Emily C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Kutner
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT; Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, CT; Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT.
authors.forename: Emily C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Wakefield
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT; Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, CT; Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT.
authors.forename: Barbara R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Rzepski
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT; Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, CT; Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Sahl
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D059352:Musculoskeletal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D013577:Syndrome