Table 1 Frequency and characteristics of children’s chronic pain

Does your child experience any physical pain related to an underlying condition/problem causing the developmental difficulties, which is long-term (chronic) and lasts for 3 months or longer?

 ­Yes

74 (19)

28 (16)

13 (7.7)

115 (16)

 ­No

244 (62)

110 (64)

127 (75)

481 (66)

 ­Don’t know

73 (19)

33 (19)

30 (18)

136 (19)

How often does your child feel physical pain?

 ­Every day

18 (25)

10 (36)

6 (40)

34 (30)

 ­Several times a week

19 (26)

8 (29)

4 (27)

31 (27)

 ­Once a week

13 (18)

1 (3.6)

0 (0)

14 (12)

 ­Less than once a week

22 (31)

9 (32)

5 (33)

36 (31)

In which part of the body does the pain occur?

 ­Head

19 (26)

6 (21)

3 (20)

28 (24)

 ­Neck

3 (4.2)

0 (0)

0 (0)

3 (2.6)

 ­Hands

2 (2.8)

0 (0)

0 (0)

2 (1.7)

 ­Body

6 (8.3)

0 (0)

4 (27)

10 (8.7)

 ­Legs

11 (15)

8 (29)

2 (13)

21 (18)

 ­Multiple body parts

31 (43)

14 (50)

6 (40)

51 (44)

Do you use any medications to resolve this pain?

 ­Yes

37 (21)

19 (68)

6 (40)

62 (54)

 ­No

35 (49)

9 (32)

9 (60)

53 (46)

 ­Don’t know

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

Who prescribed those medicines?

 ­Specialist (pediatrician, cardiologist, rheumatologist, traumatologist etc.)

21 (60)

8 (42)

2 (40)

31 (53)

 ­Primary care physician/Family physician

11 (31)

5 (26)

2 (40)

18 (31)

 ­Somebody else

3 (8.6)

6 (32)

1 (20)

10 (17)

Which pain-relief medicines is your child taking?

 Ibuprofen

14 (2.6)

7 (3.4)

3 (1.5)

24 (2.5)

 Paracetamol

10 (1.9)

7 (3.4)

0 (0)

17 (1.8)

 Muscle relaxant (diazepam, baclofen, etc.)

2 (0.4)

3 (1.5)

1 (0.5)

6 (0.6)

 Naproxen sodium

2 (0.4)

1 (0.5)

0 (0)

3 (0.3)

 Diclofenac sodium

2 (0.4)

0 (0)

0 (0)

2 (0.2)

 Topiramate

1 (0.2)

0 (0)

0 (0)

1 (0.1)