It really hurts to see that your child is in pain. However, it is inevitable and parents should be able to help their children cope with pain. First, it is important to understand that there can be two types of pain: acute and chronic pain. They require different tools to handle.
Acute Pain
Acute pain is comparatively short-lived. This type of pain is inevitable as children tend to be active and less cautious than adults are. Children can also feel pain because of an injury or a disease. These are the most common causes of acute pain. Clearly, apart from the necessary treatment of the causes of pain, parents should also explain to a child that pain is a natural signal that tells a person about some problems. Use words and symbols that are clear. Your child (as well as you) should understand that pain is quite natural and even a positive thing, as it makes people aware of the start of a problem that should be handled as quickly as possible.
Chronic Pain
Chronic pain should be treated in another way as it is usually persistent and it is associated with anxiety and depression. Clearly, it is possible to explain to the child with a chronic disease the nature of pain. However, it is harmful to focus on the child’s pain, as parents’ anxiety and the child’s chronic pain are “likely bidirectional in nature” (Palermo, Valrie and Karlson 146). In other words, the more depressed parents are the more distressed their child is. It is much more effective to distract the child from pain by encouraging him/her to focus on studies, hobbies and so on.
These tips will definitely help your child and you cope with your child’s pain.
Works Cited
Palermo, Tonya M., Cecelia R Valrie and Cynthia W. Karlson. “Family and Parent Influences on Pediatric Chronic Pain: A Developmental Perspective.” American Psychologist 69.2 (2014): 142-152. Print.