Chronic pain in children by Pradeep Chopra, MD

Dr. Pradeep Chopra presents a pediatric-focused overview of chronic pain with emphasis on Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). He outlines how neuroinflammation, central sensitization, autonomic dysfunction, and joint hypermobility contribute to persistent pain in children, and highlights common comorbidities such as anxiety, sleep disturbance, and deconditioning. Management centers on a multidisciplinary, child-centered plan: education and reassurance, graded physical and occupational therapy (desensitization, proprioceptive training, joint protection), psychological support (CBT, coping skills), and careful attention to sleep and school participation. Pharmacologic options are adjunctive and individualized—often favoring neuropathic agents and avoiding or minimizing opioids—while interventional treatments are reserved for select cases. He stresses early recognition, functional restoration, and coordinated care among families, schools, therapists, and clinicians to improve outcomes and quality of life.