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. 2007 Feb;12(2):117-20.
doi: 10.1093/pch/12.2.117.

Adolescent chronic pain and disability: A review of the current evidence in assessment and treatment

Christopher Eccleston  1 , Jacqueline Clinch
Affiliations

Adolescent chronic pain and disability: A review of the current evidence in assessment and treatment

Christopher Eccleston et al. Paediatr Child Health. 2007 Feb.

Abstract
in English, French

Adolescents who suffer from chronic pain also report complex syndrome-associated disability and distress that can detrimentally affect the quality of their lives and the lives of their family members. Over the past 10 years, there have been significant developments in both methods of assessment and in treatment programs. There have also been good developments in clinical assessment tools, although many need further study. However, the evidence base of available treatments remains small, and there is an urgent need for new trials in both pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments. The greatest challenges are organizational, and the concern is how to bring patients in contact with available treatments. Many patients who could benefit from evidence-supported treatments are not currently able to access treatment. Theoretical developments aimed at explaining chronic pain within the context of the family, as well as family attempts at coping with complex disability, are underway.

Les adolescents qui souffrent d’une douleur chronique déclarent également des invalidités complexes associées à leur syndrome et une détresse qui peut nuire à leur qualité de vie et celle des membres de leur famille. Depuis dix ans, les méthodes d’évaluation et les programmes de traitement ont connu des progrès importants, à l’instar des outils d’évaluation clinique, bien que nombre d’entre eux doivent être étudiés de manière plus approfondie. Cependant, le nombre de traitements probants disponible demeure limité, et il est urgent de mener de nouveaux essais de traitements pharmacologiques et non pharmacologiques. Les plus grands défis sont d’ordre organisationnel et portent sur la manière de mettre les patients en contact avec les traitements existants. De nombreux patients qui pourraient profiter de traitements probants ne peuvent pas y accéder. Des processus théoriques visant à expliquer la douleur chronique dans le contexte familial, et des tentatives familiales en vue d’affronter des invalidités complexes, sont en cours.

Keywords: Adolescents; Children; Chronic pain; Disability; Pain; Pain assessment; Pain management.

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