Barndomstraumer og langvarige smerter hos barn, ungdom og unge voksne

Bullying, physical violence, sexual abuse, loss of loved ones, accidents, disasters or other potentially traumatic events or situations in childhood are associated with a range of health problems and related functional impairment. New research findings suggest that such childhood trauma can lead to young people developing chronic pain with frequent use of painkillers already in childhood and adolescence. The high risk of adverse trajectories may indicate that young people who develop pain after childhood trauma lack access to early effective interventions. Trauma-exposed children and young people with long-term pain and other accompanying post-traumatic reactions may benefit little from established pain management. Knowledge of risk, resiliency and key pain mechanisms following childhood trauma can strengthen clinical management. This review article explores theoretical and empirical perspectives on how childhood trauma and related biological, psychological and social factors and reactions can contribute to the development of chronic pain and the use of painkillers among children and adolescents. Keywords: Childhood trauma, posttraumatic stress, chronic pain, PTSD, analgesics