Chiropractic + Naturopathic Doctor • JulyAugust 2019 • From the editor

I recently attended an education conference this summer, and was treated to a couple of wonderfully informative keynote speakers. During one such presentation by Dr. Melanie Noel, a pediatric pain scientist and associate professor of clinical psychology at the University of Calgary, she described an appalling fact to the audience: Prior to a declaration in 1987 by the American Academy of Pediatrics, newborns had surgery without anesthesia. Why? Because people thought babies couldn’t feel pain. (And if they did, they wouldn’t remember it anyway.)

Dr. Noel’s presentation showcased that the co-occurrence of pain, mental health and trauma is very real. “Two-thirds of kids with chronic pain [CP] grow up to be adults with chronic pain...and what we’re learning is that even if we fix the pain, these kids are at risk of developing mental health problems into adulthood,” she said. “We’ve shown that if you have chronic pain as a teenager, you’re much more likely to develop PTSD, anxiety or depression into adulthood.”

I’m sure many DCs will say it’s obvious, but the presentation served as a gentle reminder that many patients you treat have had a traumatic and painful experience that could influence why they are in pain.

One in four Canadian children have CP (pain that lasts for three months or more) and the rates of pediatric CP are increasing – but Dr. Noel pointed out that it’s a silent epidemic. These young patients may be suffering from arthritis, or severe post-surgical pain, but some also suffer from idiopathic pain.

Through studying pain research and its connection to the brain, the scientific community is realizing that how kids remember painful experiences is the most powerful predictor of how they will experience pain in the future. It’s actually more important than the actual experience of the pain itself. But there’s good news. Our memories are not like a tape recorder – they are fragile – especially as children. Dr. Noel touched on research showing that by reframing painful experiences for children to be positive, brave and realistic, their memories of pain are changed.

Attendees asked Dr. Noel some very interesting questions about pain, trauma and childhood, based on what they’ve seen in their healthcare practice. Some of those questions were answered with a “we’re not sure,” but it was encouraging to know that MANY different practitioners can play a role in the future of pain research.

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