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Australian Prescriber Vol. 22 No. 5 1999

Non-organic pain in childhood

Children often complain of vague pains. Although these pains can sometimes be due to an illness, often there is no clear cause. If the child's daily activities are being affected, the pain should be assessed. The doctor will ask questions about where the pain is, how often it comes and how long it lasts. The child will be examined and sometimes tests may be ordered.

If there is no physical cause for the pain, it may be due to problems such as stress. This could be caused by difficulties at home or at school. Recognising the true reason for the child's distress may help relieve the pain. Sometimes a referral to a specialist will be needed, particularly if the child's pain is related to depression or child abuse. In many situations, there will be no physical or psychological cause for the pain and even though it may persist for a number of years, it will eventually go away.