When children experience moderate to severe chronic pain, its effects cascade throughout the family, influencing various aspects of their lives, such as parental employment, sibling well-being, and the child's educational and future career prospects.
In a thought-provoking podcast, Dr Bianchim delves into the benefits derived from actively involving young people with chronic pain in the research, as well as the invaluable insights from their lived experiences. Dr Bianchim's innovative approach, which actively involved the lived experiences of children with chronic pain, garnered recognition from the scientific community, culminating in the prestigious Thomas C Chalmers award.
The three-year research project, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, marks a significant milestone. It reports the first well conducted review of existing research on children living with chronic pain and their families.
Key recommendations from the published Cochrane report emphasize the development of a new approach that integrates support for children and their families from health and education sectors with charitable organisations. Dr. Bianchim stressed the importance of this approach, stating,
"We found that families are left to deal with chronic pain on their own and most have given up hope of receiving effective support from health services. What's urgently needed is a fully integrated approach to care that addresses the needs of the entire family."
The research, titled 'Managing children’s chronic non-cancer pain better (CHAMPION study)', brought together experts from Stirling University, the Institute of Social Marketing and Health, the University of Bath, and Bangor University. Professor Jane Noyes, renowned for her expertise in applied children's research, played a pivotal role in the study's development.
It is not acceptable that children with chronic pain are expected to put up with it. There are many options that children and families can draw upon to better manage the child’s pain so that they can get on and enjoy their lives.
People with chronic pain can often feel like we are not listened to but in this project everything we said was listened to, noted down and discussed which made me feel like my opinions were valued. Being able to take part in the CHAMPION project feels like something positive is coming from my chronic pain conditions and that my input and experiences are going to help others like me in the future. It’s a wonderful feeling.
The research also resulted in the creation of the “Chronic Pain Rollercoaster” animation, developed in collaboration with young people living with chronic pain and their families. The animation serves as a poignant depiction of the challenges faced by children living with chronic pain and underscores the importance of comprehensive support.
For more information about the research findings and resources, visit the Cochrane Library website.