AUGUST 31 • 2023 | 67

through it. When speaking to 
a healthcare professional, this 
can make it harder than ever 
to be diagnosed with chronic 
pain, especially if a child isn’t 
exhibiting symptoms.
“Chronic pain isn’t visible,” 
Foxen-Craft says. “Whereas 
somebody who breaks their 
leg might have a cast or 
crutches to show they’re ill.”
Ongoing, persistent pain 
can trickle all the way down 
to the classroom. 
“We know kids who have 
chronic pain miss school 
quite a lot or struggle to 
stay in class,” she explains, 
“because they’re not feeling 
well. Or they might leave 
early or come in late.”
Attendance is only one side 
effect of chronic pain. 
“It might impact their 
focus or their ability to retain 
or remember information, 
or it might make somebody 
more withdrawn.” 
As a social environment, 
the latter can have a 
devastating impact on a 
child’s school experience. 
“We know that school is 
hard enough and stressful 
enough these days, so adding 
pain on top of that just 
makes everything harder,” 
Foxen-Craft says.

ADDRESSING PAIN 
FROM ALL ANGLES
While a child in chronic pain 
may not necessarily eliminate 
all pain at school, there are 
steps parents can take to help 
reduce and treat the source of 
their child’s pain.
First, of course, is being 
aware of the signs of pain, 
especially if you have small 
children at home who 
won’t express themselves as 

succinctly as adults.
Then, it’s important to get 
an accurate diagnosis. “Pain 
is a physical, emotional and 
social experience,” Foxen-
Craft says. 
 Therefore, it’s important 
to rule out other illnesses or 
medical conditions causing 
secondary pain to develop 
a comprehensive treatment 
plan.
While medical treatment is 
crucial, Foxen-Craft says it’s 
essential to tackle pain both 
physically and mentally. “In 
conjunction with medical 
treatment, psychological 
therapies are an evidence-
based approach for helping 
children and teens manage 
and cope with their pain,” she 
explains.
Working with a physical 
therapist can also be helpful 
if a child’s movement is 
restricted due to pain. All in 
all, taking baby steps — and 
sometimes big steps — can 
help children experience a 
memorable school year with 
less pain as they return to 
school for the season.
Finding balance between 
activities and downtime can 
be a great way to ensure 
children have enough time to 
rest while remaining social. 
Getting enough sleep and 
hydration are also important 
for keeping children’s brains 
and bodies functioning opti-
mally.
“I’d want children and 
families not to have this be 
a one-time conversation,” 
Foxen-Craft says of navigat-
ing and managing chronic 
pain, “but really make a point 
to check in regularly with 
each other and with their 
healthcare team.” 

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