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Pediatric Pain

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Chronic Pain

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Practice ((CCP))

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Abstract

Sarah is a 12-year-old girl who comes to the pediatrician with her mother, who reports that Sarah has been missing school because of abdominal pain. The pain is located in the center of her abdomen around the belly button. She has had no change in weight or bowel habits, and eating does not affect her pain. The abdominal pain began approximately 2 weeks after Sarah started seventh grade. Sarah’s mother is particularly concerned about school absences because Sarah is now attending junior high school, where the curriculum is more demanding than in elementary school. Sarah is a quiet girl who has always performed well academically, but does not participate in extracurricular activities and tends to have only one or two close friends. Significant stressors for Sarah are parental conflicts over an impending custody hearing and the recent loss of her best friend, whose family relocated to another state. Sarah’s examination is unremarkable. She describes diffuse, periumbilical tenderness. There is no organomegaly. The remainder of her physical examination is normal. Sarah is questioned about sexual activity or abuse, both of which she denies. Sarah’s doctor reassures her mother that she’s probably just having “growing pains,” which will resolve on their own.

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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Pain Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

    Dawn A. Marcus MD

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© 2005 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ

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(2005). Pediatric Pain. In: Marcus, D.A. (eds) Chronic Pain. Current Clinical Practice. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-882-X:167

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-882-X:167

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-501-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-882-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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