Painful Childhood

Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes chronic, widespread musculoskeletal pain.  Adults facing this condition must adhere to medication schedules and make lifestyle changes that help to ease their pain.  This change can be very difficult, as it requires routines with work, parenting, and even hobbies to be adjusted to accommodate discomfort.  What if the sufferer is only a child?  Someone still trying to enjoy their childhood activities like school, sports, playing with friends, or even prom.  While many believe that Fibromyalgia only impacts adults, Juvenile Primary Fibromyalgia Syndrome (JPFS) can impact children between the ages of 11-15.  Many children experience the symptoms prior to this age, but it goes undiagnosed, as they are unable to properly or adequately express what is happening in their body.

What Is JPFS?

Juvenile Primary Fibromyalgia Syndrome (JPFS) is a version of the condition Fibromyalgia, but targets children, typically in their early teens.  With no known cause, similar to its adult counterpart, doctors believe that JPFS is caused by an abnormality in neurotransmitters and hormones.  Triggers for this pain in children often follow an extended illness, traumatic injury, or even excessive exposure to stress.  Children facing chronic pain are most commonly diagnosed with JPFS after being treated by a rheumatologist for muscle and joint issues.    They would  establish a treatment plan with their rheumatologist.  Documented symptoms for JPFS are musculoskeletal pain and fatigue.  Some may experience additional symptoms, such as sleep disruption, temporary swelling, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, and anxiety.  Girls are twice as likely to have JPFS, than boys, especially after puberty.  This is why doctors believe hormones play a role in this condition.  Nearly 75% of children diagnosed with JPFS have a family member that suffers with Fibromyalgia.

Treatment Plan

Suggested treatments for JPFS are education and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).  Like any diagnosis, education on what the condition is and how to properly manage it can be a very powerful tool.  In this instance, not only does the child need to be aware of what is happening inside their body, but parents and siblings need to be educated in order to provide a support system.  CBT is a type of therapy that helps children to learn to understand pain, identify triggers and work to prevent them as much as possible.

Limited medication options are available for children, so some simple lifestyle changes can help to reduce pain and make life a little more comfortable.  Should pain become more severe than usual, taking an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium will help bring pain to a more tolerable level.  Aerobic exercise has been found to be beneficial in pain management.  This type of exercise keeps blood and clean oxygen flowing throughout the body.  Additionally, exercise can help to flush toxins from the body that may be increasing pain.   As a child, many of these lifestyle changes require the support of family members.   In conjunction with a basic exercise regiment, maintaining a balanced diet, keeping a specific sleep routine and limiting stress, as much as possible will all help to lower levels and frequency of JPFS related pain.  Not all stress can be eliminated, even from a child’s life, but one suggestion for easing the stress is helping their friends and teachers to understand what they are dealing with each day, so the child does not feel isolated at school.  Having a support network is a wonderful way to reduce undue stress.  While JPFS cannot be cured, many children have found that correctly managing their pain, monitoring their diet, and staying active have reduced their discomfort to a level that they no longer meet the baseline items to be diagnosed with Fibromyalgia as an adult.  Be sure to always consult the child’s physician prior to making changes to their pain management plan.  This will allow you to ensure the child is healthy enough for the planned changes.

The most important thing is to not let your loved one feel alone in this process.  JPFS is very difficult and childhood is supposed to be the most exciting time of your life.  Several online support groups are available, to allow kids to interact with others their age dealing with the same challenges of JPFS.

Tags: blurred vision, dizziness, head pain, lightheadedness, migraine symptoms, nausea, vomiting