Improving Lives. Changing Futures.
The Inpatient Chronic Pain Management Program at Children’s Specialized Hospital is typically for children, adolescents, and young adults with chronic pain who continue to have significant pain and dysfunction despite trials of consistent outpatient therapies. This evidence-based program focuses on regaining function, de-emphasizing pain, and developing appropriate pain management skills.
Our vision is that all children, adolescents and young adults with chronic pain will be able to be fully involved in school, home, vocation, and community life.
The inpatient program currently focuses on treating children and young adults ages 11 to 21 with chronic pain, including related forms of amplified pain such as:
- Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome (AMPS)
- Chronic abdominal pain
- Chronic headaches
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
- Fibromyalgia
- Reflex Neuropathic Dystrophy (RND)
- Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD)
The duration of this opioid and pain medication free program is typically four weeks and employs a multidisciplinary model to increase function, decrease pain and sensitivity, and promote the use of adaptive coping skills to return to home, school, community and leisure.
A typical inpatient stay includes both physician and nursing care as well as the following services:
- Psychology
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Recreational therapy
- Child life specialists
- Medication and disease-specific education
- Nutritional counseling
- Community outings
- School, tutoring, and individual testing
At admission, a full evaluation will be completed by a physical therapist, occupational therapist, psychologist, child life specialist and physician/advanced practice nurse. As a team, they will develop initial treatment goals with the patient and family and establish a place of care including frequency of therapies.
Outpatient Chronic Pain Management Program
The outpatient program includes a full evaluation by a physiatrist (physical medicine and rehabilitation physician), physical therapist, occupational therapist, and psychologist. This multidisciplinary team works with the patient and family to develop a treatment plan based on the initial evaluation. Other related services may include psychiatry, neurology, developmental pediatrics and aquatics.