Interdisciplinary behavioral rehabilitation of pediatric pain-associated disability: Retrospective review of an inpatient treatment protocol

Objective A biopsychosocial model was used to treat pain-associated disability in children and adolescents. We assessed the clinical outcomes of children and adolescents (8–21 years of age) with pain-associated disability who were treated in an interdisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation program which included physical, occupational, and recreational therapy, medicine, nursing, pediatric psychology, neuropsychology, psychiatry, social work, and education. Psychological treatment emphasized cognitive-behavioral intervention for pain and anxiety management, and behavioral shaping to increase functioning. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of 41consecutive patients. School attendance, sleep, and medication usage were assessed at admission and discharge; functional disability and physical mobility were assessed at admission, discharge, and 3-month follow-up. Results As a group, significant improvements were observed in school status, sleep, functional ability, physical mobility, and medication usage. Conclusion Findings support the efficacy of an inpatient interdisciplinary behavioral rehabilitation approach to the treatment of pain-associated disability in pediatric patients. Key words pediatric; chronic pain; functional disability; interdisciplinary rehabilitation, pain-associated disability