What is a Functional Neurological Disorder?

Functional Neurologic Disorder (FND) is an umbrella term that describes a neurological (brain-based) symptom or group of symptoms not caused by an organic disease process. Pediatric doctors and psychologists are using the diagnostic term Functional Neurologic Disorder (FND for short) more often in the last few years. The term FND is not new; however, recent research has added to our knowledge about this condition and increased our understanding of how to help patients recover. As a result, doctors now have more confidence in diagnosing FND. Still, this diagnosis can be confusing for patients and families.

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Pain and Rockets and Finding Balance

In many ways, this is a perfect analogy for chronic pain management. Learning to intuitively sense when things are tilting off center (the toes catch!) and finding how to bring things back into alignment is the secret ingredient? To feeling better. But, if you don’t have the skills to rebalance when you’ve leaned too far in one direction, you’ll inevitably fall.  That is why learning the evidence-based skills offered through psychology are so important.

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Self-preservation: A Parenting Lesson from the Squirrels

Parents who have a child with chronic pain are living in a state of high alert.  They often spend every ounce of energy trying to assess their child’s pain, offer comfort, juggle the needs of siblings, manage work, get to doctor appointments, monitor sleep, advocate on the school front, evaluate treatments, and on and on it goes.

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Handling the Holidays: Talking with Family & Friends about Chronic Pain

The holiday season can be one of joy and celebration, but for many adolescents with chronic pain, festive gatherings can pose a unique challenge: when connecting with friends and family, how much or how little do you share about your pain?

While there is no single way to navigate talking about chronic pain to family and friends during the holidays, taking a few minutes to think through your strategy can go a long way towards increasing your comfort through the busy holiday season. 

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Tips for Parenting a Child With Chronic Pain

When I tell parents that chronic pain is one of the most common problems in pediatrics, occurring in about one of every four kids, they often have a hard time believing me.  Despite the fact that over 1.7 million children in the United States are known to have chronic pain and that the cost of treating this pain is almost 20 billion dollars per year, chronic pain remains an invisible and under recognized health problem for kids and teens.

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