Pain in cerebral palsy: a neglected comorbidity

Abstract

This commentary is on the original article by Westbom et al. on pages 858–863 of this issue.

Prevalence, identification, and interference of pain in young children with cerebral palsy: a population-based study

“…Although pain is common and is known to increase with age in children, young adults, and adults [11,18,19], pain seems to be both under-diagnosed and under-treated in CP [20,21]. Recent pain reviews have described difficulties in drawing conclusions about the presence of pain from existing studies, due to inclusion bias, heterogeneity in assessment tools and measurements, varying recall periods and varying age ranges of the participants.…”

Pain coping strategies in children with cerebral palsy

“…Despite this, pain remains a neglected comorbidity in children with CP, and pain‐coping strategies in children with CP have never been assessed. Pain‐coping strategies have a large impact on how individuals perceive and cope with their pathology in terms of emotional distress, disability, and quality of life, and may influence the effectiveness of a treatment.…”

“…11,12 Much research has focused on improving the management of innate or induced pain in children with disability in recent years, and many recommendations have been set. 13 Despite this, pain remains a neglected comorbidity in children with CP, 14 and pain-coping strategies in children with CP have never been assessed. Pain-coping strategies have a large impact on how individuals perceive and cope with their pathology in terms of emotional distress, disability, and quality of life, 3 and may influence the effectiveness of a treatment.…”

Pathophysiology of chronic pain in cerebral palsy: implications for pharmacological treatment and research

“…Chronic pain is the most commonly reported physical comorbidity of cerebral palsy (CP) throughout the lifespan. Yet pain is perhaps the least understood, emphasized, and studied physical comorbidity of CP . No wonder pain treatments, therefore, are often trial and error, hit or miss—or not offered at all.…”

“…Yet pain is perhaps the least understood, emphasized, and studied physical comorbidity of CP. 1,2 No wonder pain treatments, therefore, are often trial and error, hit or miss-or not offered at all. Advances in chronic pain management are actively being pursued, but not so much in CP.…”