New children's pain center in Datteln

New pain center for children opened in Datteln

17/01/2012

For children and adolescents, a new center for the treatment of chronic pain in dates has been opened. Different fields of medicine and psychotherapy work together to create diagnoses and therapies.

The new pain center for children and adolescents of the Vestische Children's and Youth Clinic in Datteln is now open. Caregivers, pedagogues, doctors and therapists provide interdisciplinary care for young patients with pain. Thus, there are about 400,000 children with chronic pain nationwide a new treatment center. The center had become necessary because more and more children were suffering from chronic pain. On Monday the official inauguration ceremony of the pain center took place. "It is a matter of the heart to help children and adolescents with chronic pain manage their chronic pain and restore their self-determined lives."

The still young patients referred to the German Pain Center usually suffer from ongoing or recurring headaches, abdominal pain, migraine attacks, chronic pain due to organic disorders such as epidermolysis bullosa, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, severe cerebral palsy, somatoform pain disorders, pain after accidents , Backache or nervous ailments. Both inpatient and outpatient therapies are possible in the new center. In addition to the care and treatment of sick children, research in the field of pain therapy is promoted. The pain center, which focuses on the whole of Germany, builds on the specialist experience of the pediatric pain station and the pediatric pain clinic of the clinic in Datteln. The Children's Hospital is affiliated to the University of Witten / Herdecke.

The ward has a total of 19 beds for patients between 7 and 18 years of age. In the near future, more places will be added. Children who suffer from repeated pain often live a very limited life, emphasized the initiators. Many sufferers no longer go to school on a regular basis or already have mental disorders due to the condition.
The President of the German Pain Society, Wolfgang Koppert criticized that medical research in the field of children's pain „underrepresented throughout the world“ is. However, the new center could help answer some questions in the future. (Sb)

Picture: Rita Köhler