Includes bibliographical references and index (pages 282 - 299)

"Chronic pain develops when the area of the brain that has been receiving pain signals becomes activated and remains active even if there are no more pain signals stimulating it." A nationally recognized leader in the field of pediatric pain management, Dr. Lonnie K. Zeltzer offers a guide to control the pain that plagues your child, from headaches to arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and more. Drawing on more than 30 years of study and combining modern medicine with complementary methods such as hypnotherapy, yoga, acupuncture, and biofeedback, Zeltzer explains how to soothe the nervous system; reactivate the body's natural pain control mechanisms; implement relaxation techniques; reduce parents' guilt and more. The author uses accessible language to explain the experience and spectrum of pain: "I like to think of the pain system as a radio or TV, with you as the regulator of the volume...you want to be able to feel normal acute pain, as in injuries or inflammation, so that you can take action to prevent further injury. However, you want your body's pain-control system to regulate the pain signals the volume so that the system is not always on high volume, leaving you in a lot of pain". The author looks at conditions associated with chronic pain, children's experience of pain and how they express it, factors that contribute to chronic pain, and how to treat chronic pain. This includes medications plus alternative therapies, as well as types of therapy. There are also strategies on how to help your child to cope with chronic pain. Zeltzer advocates treatment that enables children to function (sleeping, eating well, going to school, socialising etc) so that, in consequence, the pain will fade. Directions are given on how to implement breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, and hypnotherapy/guided imagery techniques. The final chapter comprises answers to parents' questions, organised into the categories Helping Your Child To Cope, Life at Home, When Your Child Relapses, Your Child's Doctor, and Your Child's School. These include questions such as "How do I step back and let my daughter help herself?", "My daughter's chronic pain management requires a lot of family attention. I feel it is causing problems for my other children. What can I do?" and "I often feel overwhelmed in my child's doctor's office and forget what to ask. Are there some questions I should be sure to ask the doctor?" There is a glossary of pain terminology, a list of pediatric pain and gastrointestinal pain programs (mostly US based, only three are located in Europe). Units specialising in bowel disorders are also listed (again with a US bias, there is one European programme listed). More useful is the list of pain websites.

Audience: Adult, Adult caregiver