Chronic pain is a significant health problem for many children and adolescents and is often challenging for healthcare professionals to treat. Estimated to affect approximately 15% to 30% of children, chronic and recurrent pain occurs most commonly in the pediatric population without clearly identifiable underlying physical etiology, such as pain associated with irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, musculoskeletal pain, or complex regional pain syndrome. Chronic or recurrent pain may also be associated with ongoing underlying medical conditions, such as arthritis, cancer, Crohn's disease, or...

"Madeline is a 15-year-old girl with abdominal pain and headaches that occur most days of the week. Because of her pain, she has missed 99 days of school this year and is no longer able to play volleyball. Her parents have taken her to see a number of specialists and she has tried many different medications but she has not experienced any improvement in her pain..."

Studies suggest that as many as four out of ten children and adolescents suffer from chronic pain. The causes of chronic pain in young people vary, from illness-related causes to pain following medical procedures. In fact, in...