Parents who have a child with chronic pain are living in a state of high alert. They often spend every ounce of energy trying to assess their child’s pain, offer comfort, juggle the needs of siblings, manage work, get to doctor appointments, monitor sleep, advocate on the school front, evaluate treatments, and on and on it goes.
The holiday season can be one of joy and celebration, but for many adolescents with chronic pain, festive gatherings can pose a unique challenge: when connecting with friends and family, how much or how little do you share about your pain?
While there is no single way to navigate talking about chronic pain to family and friends during the holidays, taking a few minutes to think through your strategy can go a long way towards increasing your comfort through the busy holiday season.
Jessica started her freshman year of high school in great spirits. Then, in early October, she began to get daily headaches after school. Her headaches typically began around 4pm and persisted through the evening making it difficult for her to complete homework.
