Adolescents and young adults learn to address challenges caused by any type of chronic pain or symptom that interferes with daily life and results in significant declines in health, physical and emotional functioning.
Specifically, these symptoms may include:
- Pain in any location.
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- Fatigue.
- Dizziness.
- Functional disorders.
- Eating concerns.
These young people are generally struggling to attend school and other activities important to them such as extracurricular activities and time with friends and family.
The program also helps participants eliminate the use of pain medications and decrease their use of other medications that can impact health and quality of life in the long run. With the support of staff and peers in the PPRC, participants regain strength and stamina and shift away from a focus on pain and symptoms and toward a focus on what they value in life.
The three-week program includes an integrated team of healthcare professionals including pediatric medicine, rehabilitation medicine, physical therapy, psychology, occupational therapy, biofeedback and nursing.
Understanding chronic pain and other chronic symptoms
Because chronic pain and symptoms impact many aspects of an adolescent's or young adult's life, the PPRC programs take a holistic approach, integrating research from many areas to help youth return to their life.
- Youth set and reach their own goals regarding the self-management of chronic pain and symptoms, as well as returning to the activities they value.
- Parents also increase their understanding of the development and management of chronic symptoms and effective strategies to support their youth.
- Staff supervise medication changes, including tapering of pain medications, and also may address the use of other medications that may be harmful when used long term.
The program offers seven core components to help people reduce chronic pain and symptoms and address functional impairments, improving quality of life:
Physical therapy
Physical therapists instruct youth in strengthening, stretching and aerobic conditioning. Therapists also educate them about proper body mechanics, lifting techniques, posture, aerobic exercise benefits and pain behaviors. Even youth who didn't enjoy being physically active are often surprised at how much progress they make in a short amount of time.
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapists teach youth how to effectively balance their daily activities in the areas of school, homework, work, leisure and self-care. Activity moderation and modification result in functional improvements that can be maintained over time.
Biofeedback
Biofeedback provides information about how the body can be negatively affected by pain and other chronic symptoms. Using specialized equipment, biofeedback specialists instruct people on how to regulate breathing and muscle tension while engaged in daily activities.
Group pain education sessions
Each teen and young adult group session has a topic that is presented and talked about with the group.
- These sessions use a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) model, and emphasize learning new ways to deal with the challenges of chronic pain and other symptoms.
- Sessions emphasize skills such as physiological self-regulation, coping with pain and symptoms, emotion regulation, and stress management.
Parent and family groups
Chronic pain and symptoms affect the entire family. Our group coaching sessions can help both parents and their youth succeed.
- Parent groups offer an opportunity for parents to learn empirically supported strategies to support their youth in improving their functioning.
- Family groups offer a chance for families to learn about central sensitization and how pain develops, as well as improved family functioning such as family communication and problem-solving.
Medication management and chemical health education
Some pain medications can worsen pain over time, cause side effects and become habit-forming, even if taken as prescribed. PPRC staff works with each person to reduce pain or symptom-focused medications over time, with the goal of gradually eliminating unnecessary medications.
Recreation
Youth attending PPRC enjoy having fun together while they are working hard to learn and practice their new skills. Activities within PPRC such as games and eating together as well as activities outside of PPRC hours such as bowling, hiking and trying new snacks help the group form friendships and support each other. Youth who are unable to do these activities at the beginning of the program typically find them possible and enjoyable before the end of the program!