Resource Library

General Information

• Fact Sheet: Chronic Pain in Children and Adolescents
  Overview from the Society of Pediatric Psychology
  
• Benefits of Creative Art Therapy
  Overview of creative arts and their therapeutic benefits, including those for chronic pain, outlined by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
• How the Brain Causes Pain
  Overview of the brain’s role in pain, and how to retrain the brain to reduce it
• Neuroplasticity and Chronic Pain
  Neuroplasticity explained, and how it can be used to change chronic pain
• The Sticky Neural Loop
  The sticky neural loop explained with tips and techniques to “unstick”
• What Works for Pain
  Printable booklet from PainCare Labs
• Acute to Chronic Pain Handout
  Explanation of the difference between acute to chronic pain, and how they are related
• How Creative Activities Help Chronic Pain and Mental Health Overview of the use of art and music to help with anxiety, depression and overlapping chronic pain

For Parents

General info

• Pediatric Pain Clinics 2024
  List of all pediatric pain clinics, current as of 2024
• A Nurse’s Toolbox for Parenting Children With Chronic Pain
  Tips and tools for parents from a nurse’s perspective
• Moving Beyond Chronic Pain Without Narcotics
  Explanation why opioids are not always effective for chronic pain
• Inspirational Short Film-Finding Comfort
  Real story of relief through the combination of clinical and non clinical interventions
• Benefits of Crafting
  CNN article about how crafting can help the brain process pain and trauma, with links
• Helping Kids Cope With Chronic Pain
  Overview of integrative techniques
• Teens and Chronic Pain
  Article which reviews a physician’s observations, directly from teen patients
• Helping Kids with Chronic Pain (NYT)
  New York Times article outlining the use of psychological interventions for chronic pain in kids

School Resources

• In-School Resource
  Written for schools and teachers, but an excellent resource for parents to share with their child’s school
• 504 and IEP Information
  What is an IEP or 504 plan? Overview to help determine if one is needed
• Tips for School Re-entry
  How to design a customized, functional school re-entry plan

Videos

• Understanding Art for Chronic Pain
  U.S. Pain Foundation video with explanations and testimonials about art and chronic pain
• Return to Functioning
  One hour recorded webinar on the role of parents in the return to functioning of their child or teen with chronic pain
• Link to full list of CHYP Webinars
  Condensed list of every CHYP Webinar published on YouTube

TED Talks

• How to Hack Your Brain When You're in Pain by Amy Baxter
  Researcher and physician Amy Baxter unravels the symphony of connections that send pain from your body to your brain, explaining practical neuroscience hacks to quickly block those signals. 
• The Mystery of Chronic Pain by Elliot Krane
  Pain can be  a symptom, but there are cases where the nervous system develops feedback loops and pain becomes a disease in itself.
• What Chronic Pain Has Taught Me About Resilience by Trung Ngo
  An interdisciplinary solution to address chronic pain and pain management
• The Mysterious Science of Pain by Joshua W. Pate
  TEDed video with insights on pain and perceived pain

Books for Parents

• Conquering Your Child's Chronic Pain: A Pediatrician's Guide for Reclaiming a Normal Childhood
  This book reveals what parents can do to alleviate their child's pain on a daily basis. Dr. Zeltzer's clinic is renowned for treatment of pediatric pain stemming from headaches, arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome; fibromyalgia, and more, via a multidisciplinary approach including specialists in psychiatry, hypnotherapy, yoga, acupuncture, biofeedback, and others.
• Pain in Children and Young Adults: Two Pediatricians' Mind-Body Guide for Parents
  Pain in Children and Young Adults gives the reader must-have information.
  • Offers specific strategies to take control of the pain—regardless of cause(s.)
  • Guides you in understanding pain in general as well as specific pain conditions.
  • Explores how children express pain and how to interpret what they say.
  • Provides sage advice from top pain professionals in the world.
  • Gives you resources to find the right professionals and tips for asking the right questions.
  • Teaches you breathing, muscle relaxation, visualization exercises to help on a “bad pain day.”
  • Helps you get the best care with tips to fight insurance denials
• When Your Child Hurts: Effective Strategies to Increase Comfort, Reduce Stress, and Break the Cycle of Chronic Pain
  This essential guide, written by an expert in pediatric pain management, is the practical, accessible, and comprehensive resource that families and caregivers have been awaiting. It offers in-the-moment strategies for managing a child’s pain along with expert advice for fostering long-term comfort.
• Soothing and Stress
  Topics related to the nature of the stress response, the role of environment in individual differences in stress, and the different strategies used for coping with stressful events. 
• Managing Your Child's Chronic Pain 1st Edition
  Resource for parents who wish to learn how to help their children and families cope with persisting pain using cutting-edge, scientifically proven treatment tools and techniques. The easy-to-implement strategies in this book provide parents with practical instructions for pain management that will enable children to return to school, participate in sports and other activities, and pursue healthy and active social lives.

For Teens and Young Adults

Organizations

• ArtThread
  Nonprofit collaborating with CHYP to provide 24/7 access to creative tools
• MEG Foundation for Pain
  Nonprofit and CHYP partner with many engaging resources about all types of pain
• U.S. Pain Foundation
  Organization created by people with pain for people with pain. Includes resources for all ages and all types of pain.
  
• iCAN
  Organization for pediatric patients and their families who are interested in having their voices heard by individuals, industry, and government agencies to make a difference in pediatric healthcare
• MAGIC Foundation
  Nonprofit organization providing support services for families of children afflicted with a variety of chronic and/or critical disorders, syndromes, and diseases that affect a child's growth.
  
• The Ehlers-Danlos Society
  Global Nonprofit which is driving forward Care, Access, Research, and Education, and committed to changing the lives of people impacted by EDS and HSD.
  
• CoachArt
  CoachArt is a transformative arts and athletics community for families impacted by chronic illness, providing free lessons to chronically ill children and their siblings between the ages of 5-18.
• Solutions for Kids in Pain (SKIP)
  Canadian resource with lots of infographics and information to share with schools and physicians, relevant to the U.S.A. and Canada
• Children's Music Fund
  Nonprofit geared toward helping children heal through music. Resources and research specific to music-based interventions.
• The Comfort Ability
  In addition to online resources, The Comfort Ability® Program offers workshops, health chats, newsletters, and other resources for teens and parents/caregivers which take place at many sites throughout the United States, Canada, and Australia. 

Podcasts

• One Thing Pain Podcast - Episode 14 with Tonya Palermo
  An insightful discussion with Dr. Tonya Palermo on behavioral, psychosocial, and family factors affecting pain experiences.
• Supporting Children with Chronic Pain with Dr. Anya Griffin
  Dr. Anya Griffin and Dr. Tamara Soles discuss therapeutic interventions and the role of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in supporting children with chronic pain.
• Ask Dr. Jessica-Episode 126 
  How to treat children in pain with Drs. Lonnie and Paul Zeltzer

Articles on Creativity & Pain Management

• Art Therapy:Another way to manage pain
  Information from the Harvard University blog
• The Link Between Creativity and Mental Health
  Information specific to the adolescent brain and development of divergent thinking
• Using Creative Outlets to Deal With Chronic Pain | PainScale
  Article with testimonials
• Teen turns chronic pain journey into award-winning art : Inside Children's Blog
  Example of one teen’s journey
• Chronic Pain and Mindfulness-based Art Activities | Alongside You
  Rebooting the nervous system with mindfulness based art techniques

Other Online Resources

• Sleep and Pain
  Understand the relationship between pain and sleep with guidance for maintaining good sleep health.
• Guided Exercises: Mindfulness
  Access mindfulness exercises courtesy of  The Comfort Ability to help manage pain and stress.
• Therapeutic Art Activity for Physical Pain
  Popular YouTube video from Erica Pang Art
• Pain Apps and Resources from SKIP
  Excellent compilation of websites, apps and general resources