Airing Pain 118: Pain Management in Young People

How chronic pain in adolescence requires different pain management strategies

In this edition of Airing Pain, Paul Evans looks at the issues concerning pain amongst adolescents, including the impact on parents. First-off, Paul speaks to Dr Jeremy Gauntlet-Gilbert, principal clinical psychologist at the Bath Centre for Pain Services, to talk about the “end of the road” residential pain management programme the Centre has for young people from across the UK who have not had success at other institutions.

Paul also speaks to Amyra and Taylor, who have first-hand experience of the programme, about their time in Bath. They also discuss how chronic pain has affected their personal lives, including their performance at school and in exams.

The parents’ experience is also explored as Paul speaks to Taylor’s mum Sandra McCann and Louise Bailey, the mother of another patient. They describe how the Bath Centre for Pain Management has made a positive impact on the ability of their children to have a more regular life. Paul also discusses with Louise and Dr Gauntlet-Gilbert about the wider impact on siblings and the rest of the family.

Dr Gauntlet-Gilbert also talks about the Centre’s commitment to transitional support for individuals between adolescence and adulthood as well as beyond. This edition concludes with the parents and young people delivering their verdict on the Bath Centre for Pain Services’ programme. One that indicates it is a very hard but rewarding process, with the young people clearly finding enjoyment in their time there.

Issues covered in this programme include: Children and young people, CRPS: complex regional pain syndrome, development, education, family, flare-up, friends, homeschooling, hypersensitivity, independence, mindfulness, pacing, physiotherapy, residential programme, school and stomach pain.

Contributors:

• Dr Jeremy Gauntlet-Gilbert, Principle Clinical Psychologist at the Bath Centre for Pain Services
• Louise Bailey, parent
• Sandra McCann, parent
• Amyra, young person
• Taylor, young person.

More information:

• Bath Centre for Pain Services
• Pain Concern’s leaflet: Parenting a Child or Young Person with Chronic Pain
• Find this episode useful? Our full collection of Airing Pain episodes related to children and young people can be found here: audioboom.com/playlists/4604767-young-people-and-pain.