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Sterling Ridge Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine
6767 Lake Woodlands Drive, Suite F, The Woodlands, TX 77382
20639 Kuykendahl Road, Suite 200, Spring, TX 77379
The Woodlands & Spring, TX .
Ph: 281-364-1122 832-698-011
stacy@srosm.com






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My six-year-old daughter is experiencing stomach pain that I think is the result of the split up between her father and me. I'd kinda like to know if there is any proof that I'm wrong about this and something else is the cause of her discomfort. Maybe knowing that kids in nondivorced families have just as much stomach pain would help. Is there anything like that out there?

It is a reasonable question and assumption made by many parents facing a wide range of personal and family stressors including job loss, poor health, and/or change in marital status (getting married, remarried, or divorced). The prevalence of chronic, persistent, or recurrent pain in children has grabbed the attention of the health care world. Studies from 20 years ago repeated again recently show an increasing trend in headache, stomach/abdominal, back, and musculoskeletal pain among the children and teens around the world. This is not an isolated, United States, Canada, or North American phenomenon. Some of the variables linked with this type of pain in children have been identified. For example, girls definitely have higher rates of chronic pain than boys for all age groups. Lower socioeconomic status and lower quality of life both appear to be linked with pain in children. Marital status hasn't been studied widely. In a recent systematic review of chronic pain in children, marital status of the children’s' parents was only reported in one (Spanish) study. It did not appear to be a factor but further study of this variable is really needed before any firm conclusions can be made. The important thing is to recognize there is a problem and address the symptoms even if the underlying cause isn't obvious at first. Being aware of all possible factors (not just marital status) will give you more of a big picture view of the problem. Your daughter's pediatrician is probably the best one to help advise you on this. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with counseling for you and/or your daughter at a time like this. Ask your doctor what his or her recommendation is in this area. There are many approaches to chronic pain. Behavioral counseling is just one of many with the potential for positive change.

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