Treating Physical Contributors to the Child’s Pain

Abstract

The appropriate pain management intervention should be readily apparent from the completed conceptualization. Any hypothesis that appears to have support should be addressed in the treatment plan. Thus, it should be possible to address multiple objectives within a single treatment plan. If it is too complex to address all components simultaneously, sets of treatment objectives should be prioritized, beginning with interventions that can serve as stepping stones to future gains. For instance, making sure the child is receiving appropriate pain medication should take precedence over beginning to teach psychological pain management strategies. Eliminating fears based on misconceptions and misinformation should take precedence over developing a reinforcement program in most cases. The Treatment Planning Worksheet provided in Appendix B may be photocopied and used to assist the clinician in organizing an appropriate treatment plan.