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Interim guidelines for the assessment and treatment of pain in children with multiple sclerosis
Catherine Stratton1, Areti Vassilopoulos2,3, J Nicholas Brenton4
1Department of Epidemiology, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Insights
This study developed an interim guideline for assessing and managing pain in pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS). Thirteen experts created thirteen recommendations to address the physical, psychological, and social impacts of MS pain in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Pain Management
- Multiple Sclerosis Research
Background:
- Pain is a common yet understudied symptom in pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Pain in MS significantly impacts physical, psychological, and social well-being in children.
- There is a need for comprehensive assessment and interdisciplinary management strategies for pediatric MS pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an interdisciplinary interim guideline for the assessment and management of pain in children with MS.
- To establish evidence-based recommendations for addressing pain in pediatric MS patients.
Main Methods:
- A modified Delphi panel of 13 experts was convened, including specialists in pediatric MS, pain management, and allied health professions.
- An anonymous survey was administered to panelists, followed by iterative discussions to refine themes.
- The consensus-building process involved multiple rounds of survey completion and discussion.
Main Results:
- Thirteen distinct recommendations for the assessment and treatment of pain in children with MS were generated.
- The guideline addresses the multifaceted nature of pain in pediatric MS.
Conclusions:
- The developed guideline provides an interdisciplinary framework for managing pain in pediatric MS.
- Future research will focus on implementing and evaluating these guidelines in clinical practice.
Introduction:
Pain in multiple sclerosis (MS) is common, but literature on pain in children with MS remains scarce. Pain has physical, psychological, and social implications in MS, and both comprehensive assessment and interdisciplinary management approaches are needed. We sought to develop an interdisciplinary interim guideline for the assessment and management of pain in children with MS.
Methods And Materials:
We convened a modified Delphi panel composed of 13 experts in pediatric and adult MS neurology, physiotherapy, pain, patient lived-experience, advanced practice nursing, psychology, physiatry, and MS research. A survey was sent to panelists for anonymous completion. The panel discussed survey themes extracted by the panel chair. The process was repeated twice.
Results:
Thirteen assessment and treatment recommendations were produced regarding pain in children with MS.
Discussion:
Future studies will assess implementation of these pain assessment and treatment guidelines in the clinical setting.
