How can I help my child?
“Take the pain seriously, but don’t allow it to influence daily life” – this is the healthiest attitude that parents of children with chronic pain can develop. It might sound paradoxical, but it works very well.
If your child complains of pain, this pain is really there and you are allowed to be sympathetic. More helpful than sympathy, though, is consistently supporting your child to lead a normal daily life.
So, for example, you can say “Yes, you have pain, but you still have to go to school” or “Yes, it hurts, and you know that only distraction helps. So distract yourself, paint a picture, go play soccer, meet up with your friends or pet the dog”.
If you as a parent have the impression that certain activities are not good for your child’s health, consult your doctor or pain therapist about this.
You’ll find further tips here as a PDF download:
Ten tips for parents in dealing with chronic pain.
(Source: Michael Dobe/Boris Zernikow: How to Stop Chronic Pain in Children: A Practical Guide. Translated from the German by Beverley Stewart. Carl-Auer-Systeme Verlag GmbH, 2014)