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Pain is an important, useful component of the childhood experience; however, for some youth who experience discomfort chronically, pain can become a debilitating symptom that limits multiple aspects of daily living, including in the school environment. Pain is a biopsychosocial experience that is affected by behavioral, cognitive, affective, sociocultural, and neurosensory factors, as well as contextual factors (family, peers, school). School-based professionals working with students with chronic pain are encouraged to closely collaborate with the child’s multidisciplinary providers outside the school system to promote optimal functioning and wellness in the child across settings. This chapter presents information about several common pediatric pain conditions and then reviews intervention and management strategies for children with chronic pain disorders. It also discusses school-related considerations for the school-based professional and includes a list of useful resources and handouts to assist with education and intervention in the school setting.

The pediatric adaptation of the Collaborative Health Outcomes Information Registry (Peds-CHOIR) is a free, open-source, flexible learning health care system (LHS) that meets the call by the Institute of Medicine for the development of national registries to guide research and precision pain medicine. This report is a technical account of the first application of Peds-CHOIR with 3 aims: (1) to describe the design and implementation process of the LHS; (2) to highlight how the clinical system concurrently cultivates a research platform rich in breadth (eg, clinic characteristics) and depth (eg, unique patient- and caregiver-reporting patterns); and (3) to demonstrate the utility of capturing patient-caregiver dyad data in real time, with dynamic outcomes tracking that informs clinical decisions and delivery of treatments. Technical, financial, and systems-based considerations of Peds-CHOIR are discussed. Cross-sectional retrospective data from patients with chronic pain (N = 352; range, 8-17 years; mean, 13.9 years) and their caregivers are reported, including National Institutes of Health Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) domains (mobility, pain interference, fatigue, peer relations, anxiety, and depression) and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale. Consistent with the literature, analyses of initial visits revealed impairments across physical, psychological, and social domains. Patients and caregivers evidenced agreement in observable variables (mobility); however, caregivers consistently endorsed greater impairment regarding internal experiences (pain interference, fatigue, peer relations, anxiety, and depression) than patients' self-report. A platform like Peds-CHOIR highlights predictors of chronic pain outcomes on a group level and facilitates individually tailored treatment(s). Challenges of implementation and future directions are discussed.

Background In order to determine the number of short-term side effects and late effects discussed during an informed consent conference (ICC) after the diagnosis of acute leukemia, we observed the occurrence(s) and the ratio between short-term side effects versus late effects during an ICC. Procedure ICC(s) of childhood leukemia trials were audio-taped at six different study sites. The side effects mentioned during each of these ICC(s) were coded and analyzed. Results One hundred forty cases were reviewed, from which we coded a total of 3,173 acute side effects and 242 late effects. The mean total side effects mentioned during each ICC was 24 (range 5–47). The number of late effects coded were significantly less than acute side effects. We also found that the duration of ICC(s) was positively correlated with the number of side effects mentioned. In addition, the frequency of total side effects mentioned was independent of patient or parent demographic factors. Conclusions Our results show that acute side effects are often mentioned but the discussion of late effects is much less frequent in the initial ICC(s). Careful consideration regarding the ratio of acute and late effects that are communicated to parents in the context of the ICC may facilitate parental understanding of clinically relevant side effects. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;52:497–502. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Background. Mixed findings on the neuropsychological sequelae of chemotherapy-only treatment for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), without radiation, indicate the need for a comprehensive meta-analytic review. The purpose of the current study was to conduct a meta-analysis assessing neuropsychological and academic functioning differences between children with ALL treated solely with chemotherapy and comparison groups. Procedures. Thirteen articles met inclusion criteria for the metaanalysis and were analyzed using a random effects model, weighted least squares methods. Results. Mean effect sizes were significantly different from zero for multiple domains of intelligence and academic achievement; processing speed; verbal memory; and some aspects of executive functioning and fine motor skills, indicating worse functioning in ALL survivors. Effect sizes for visualmotor skills and visual memory were not significantly different from zero. Conclusions. Results support the presence of neuropsychological and academic sequelae for ALL survivors treated solely with chemotherapy and highlight the need for ongoing follow-up of children with ALL using a standardized neuropsychological test battery and research methodology. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008;51:99‐104. 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.