Pain Can Cause Behavior Changes in Children

Depending on the age and capabilities of your child, it can be difficult for them to let you know they are in pain and/or describe where the pain is and what it feels like. Even adults struggle with pinpointing their pain. It would be understandable that a child may have difficulty communicating pain levels to adults. Unfortunately, this means that your child could be in pain for some time without you knowing about it. However, there are signs your young child could be in pain.

Every parent wants to do the best for their child; to keep them safe and take their pain away, but when you don’t know they are suffering in the first place, this can be tough, and it’s horrible to think that your child is suffering in silence.

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That’s why I’ve put together some key signs that your child could be in pain and may need to see their physician or a good pediatric chiropractor. Of course, you know your child best, so even if a symptom is not listed below, if you have any concerns at all, get in touch with your child’s doctor as soon as possible.

Not Everyone’s Pain is Created Equal

Before I give you a list of potential signs, let me warn you that not all children react to pain the same way. For example, children on the autism spectrum oftentimes cannot express their pain in typical ways. Autism meltdowns may be caused by pain.

Furthermore, infants and toddlers do not have the ability to begin to communicate pain. It should also be noted that referred pain is always possible. A child may think the pain in their chest, but it is actually a stomachache.

Signs Your Young Child May Be In Pain

Difficulty sleeping

If your child has trouble sleeping it could be because they are hurting and the pain is making it impossible for them to relax and nod off. So, if there were any changes to their sleep routine and there is no obvious cause like noise pollution or a particularly exciting event, then it may be a good idea to get them seen by a doctor.

A common cause of nighttime pain often involves the ears or teeth. Have you ever had a toothache begin to throb the moment you laid your head on the pillow? Daytime signs of pain involving teeth or ears are pulling at the ears, scratching the cheeks, or refusing to chew food on one side.

One of my children would have ear infections so severe that the doctor would comment, “I can’t believe she is still standing up.” She appeared to be fine, but she had difficulty sleeping. An ear infection can cause vomiting, difficulty sleeping, or even dizziness.

Another common problem that causes difficulty sleeping is growth spurts. Doctors say these are “growing pains.” My son grew over 7 inches in an 8 week period. During this period, he frequently complained that his legs hurt and other “growing pain” symptoms.

Moving much less or much more

If your child is moving around much less than usual or is having trouble walking or crawling as well as they once did, it could be down to pain in the body making it uncomfortable for them to be as active as normal, and some further explanation may be required.

Watch your child’s physical activity level for changes. Some children become much more physically active when they are in pain. Moving helps a person forget about the pain temporarily. As a person who has suffered from pain all of my life, I stayed as active as I could. I also tended to “zone out” to escape reality and find pain relief in my own “meditation.” (We just didn’t call it that at the time.)

They’re much quieter than usual

When kids are in pain, they often lose some of the natural joy and exuberance that is usually present and become very quiet. If, as a parent, you have noticed that your child is not usually quiet, but they are now, they may be in physical or possibly mental stress so you will absolutely want to get to the bottom of it. 

While it may be normal for older children to be “moody” or “quiet,” any change in behavior should be taken seriously.

They’re clutching part of their body

If your child is clutching their head or their stomach or their leg, or whatever, that is a really good indicator that they may be hiring in the area they are holding and you should ask them about it and/or have them checked out to rule out any injuries or medical issues that could be causing them to hurt.

They are irritable or angry

As an adult, you will know that if you have a headache or you’re in pain in some way you will often become irritable or quicker to anger than usual because you are dealing with your pain on top of all the other annoyances life throws your way. Children are just the same so a sudden increase in angry or irritable behavior is a sign you should not ignore.

Facial expressions

I have lived with pain most of my life. I got my first migraine at a young age, and I have had other debilitating issues. One of the key components in my pain thresholds is my facial expressions. A person could look at my face and if I had a furrowed brow or was clenching my teeth, that would be a clear indicator of pain.

Failure to participate in a loved activity

If a child refuses to watch the movie for family movie night or they don’t want to participate in a game night with family members, and this is a clear departure from their usual activity, there may be an underlying issue.

Biting, hitting or scratching

Non-verbal children often have extreme difficulty communicating their wants and needs. Biting and hitting maybe their way of getting attention, but it also may be their communication method to say, “something is wrong.” If a child’s pain causes them to act out, they may be saying, “I am in pain, so therefore, I am causing you pain so you realize something is seriously wrong.”

My non-verbal son would hit and bite my daughter and me. We knew he was trying to tell us something was wrong in the only way he knew how.

Afraid to go to the bathroom

If your child is suffering from abdominal pain, they may associate the pain with going to the bathroom. Furthermore, if they have diarrhea or constipation, they may become afraid to use the toilet. Young children lack the ability to tell you that their poop is different and causing distress.

However, having a hard time passing stool is a common reason for being fearful of using the toilet. While this may not be a serious problem, and might possibly be as simple as adding in extra fluids or increasing juice or fruit consumption, it may seem serious to the child.

Things to Remember About Children and Pain

1) Not everyone has the same pain tolerance. What may be severe pain to one person is mild pain for another.

2) Pain is the body’s way of saying something is wrong. Additionally, even pain that is caused by stress is the body’s way of signaling a problem.

3) Serious conditions sometimes do not cause outward signs of pain. Furthermore, painful conditions are not always serious.

4) Too much pain may also cause a child to self-injure. If your child causes physical harm to themselves or you, chances are good that they are in some sort of pain.

4) As a parent, you are the best person to advocate for your child. Sometimes medical professionals dismiss telltale signs of pain because they have not been taught to recognize them.

5) Do not think you have to treat low-grade fevers with pain medicine. Fevers are the body’s way of dealing with a virus or bacteria. Treating the fever often makes the recovery period longer.

Spot any of these warning signs that your child might be in pain, and it is vital that you get them the right medical attention asap. There was numerous treatment options for pain depending on severity and where it occurs in the body. Even chronic pain can be managed successfully.

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