Excerpt: 'Conquering Your Child's Chronic Pain'

May 10, 2005 — -- A nationally recognized leader in the field of pediatric pain management, Dr. Lonnie K. Zeltzer's book, "Conquering Your Child's Chronic Pain," offers an invaluable guide to control the pain that plagues your child, from headaches to arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and more.

Drawing on more than 30 years of study and combining modern medicine with complementary methods such as hypnotherapy, yoga, acupuncture, and biofeedback, Zeltzer explains how to soothe the nervous system, find the most effective medications, use relaxation techniques and more.

You can read an excerpt from the book below.

That which hurts, also instructs.

-- Benjamin Franklin

Mark is a 14-year-old whose gastroenterologist could not find a cause for the chronic esophageal pain he had had for four months, during which he was unable to eat, sleep, attend school, or engage in other normal activities. Mark initially had developed significant pain when swallowing, which continued until a yeast infection was diagnosed and treated. By that time, however, he had had the pain for six weeks and had missed the first month of school. After the infection was gone, his pain remained, despite a normal-appearing esophagus. Mark began spending hours during the day crying, moaning, and scratching at his chest. Instead of getting better, his pain was getting worse.

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It can start quite suddenly.

Your daughter complains about a stomachache, which you attribute to the fast food she gobbled down at dinner the night before. Soon you notice she is complaining of similar aches in her stomach every few days. A couple of days later, you notice her limping and rubbing her leg. When you ask her about it, she says her leg feels hot and prickly. The complaints seem unconnected, but you take her to the pediatrician for the stomach problems. The doctor attributes the stomachaches to nerves. "After all," he says, "the new school year is approaching." The leg pain, he attributes to normal "growing pains." "All children get them," he assures you. Fast forward: It is one year and dozens of doctors later. Your daughter is still in pain. In fact, the pain is much worse and has traveled to other areas of her body. She is attending school sporadically, and she shows little interest in the things she once loved, such as her friends and gymnastics. What's more, you are still no closer to knowing what is causing the pain. Your nerves are frazzled; you are missing work, are fighting with your husband, and feel guilty all the time. "How did this happen?" you ask yourself.

Pain is much more than an uncomfortable sensation that we all would like to keep our children from experiencing. It can affect a child's ability to breathe easily, perform everyday tasks and activities, and eat normally. It also interferes with sleep and energy, and it alters mood and disrupts relationships.