Chronic Pain in Australian Youth: A Hidden Burden
Chronic pain affects about 877,000 young people in Australia—roughly one in five children. For many families, the pain starts after an injury or appears without a clear diagnosis, persisting for months or years and reshaping daily life, mental health, education, and social participation. A new look at the experiences of young Australians with chronic pain reveals how often these issues are misunderstood and how hard it can be to get proper care.
From First Hurt to Everyday Struggle
Cooper Smylie’s story begins with a knee bump during a game. What followed was six months of relentless burning pain in his foot, a journey through emergency rooms, general practitioners, and countless questions. “I just thought that one day I would wake up and get better, but nah—the pain never went away,” he recalls. His experience illustrates a broader pattern: many children live with pain that adults around them dismiss or misattribute to anxiety or “growing pains.”
Invisible Illnesses, Visible Impacts
Conditions like Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and juvenile idiopathic arthritis can be invisible to others. The Chronic Pain Australia report found that two‑thirds of affected youths waited three or more years for a diagnosis, or never received one. For Dayna Mattchewson of Adelaide, the lack of visible symptoms meant peers and teachers often misunderstood her autoimmune arthritis and the need for accommodations. As Dayna notes, visible signs aren’t always present, but the impact on daily life is real and measurable.
Diagnosis is Not the End, But a Start
Experts warn that diagnosing chronic pain is rarely a quick fix. Dr. Kelsi Dodds, a neurophysiologist at the University of Adelaide, describes diagnosis as a complex, often multi‑disciplinary process. Pain levels in young people vary from mild discomfort to severe, disabling pain that makes basic tasks like showering difficult. The handling of Cooper’s case—his eventual diagnosis of CRPS and later an associated nerve condition called allodynia—shows both the challenges and the potential relief that comes with proper management.
Managing, Not Curing, Pain
Even with a diagnosis, many youths live with pain daily. Treatment tends to emphasize day‑to‑day management: pacing energy, setting realistic goals, and using strategies to reduce flare‑ups. For Cooper, that means channeling energy into constructive activities such as making fishing videos, which provides distraction and calm. Dayna uses weekly biologic injections to control inflammation and has turned her experience into a song to raise awareness. These personal coping strategies illustrate how young people adapt to chronic pain while seeking better understanding and support from adults around them.
School, Social Life, and Mental Health
The Chronic Pain Australia survey paints a sobering picture: 83% of children with chronic pain missed school due to pain, and more than half fell behind academically. The burden extends to mental health, friendships, and social participation. The feeling of being misunderstood can lead to isolation, withdrawal, and anxiety about the future. Dr. Dodds emphasizes the need to prevent pain from becoming the default expectation in a child’s life, highlighting the importance of early, careful, patient-centered care.
Moving Forward: Listening and Better Care
Young people like Cooper and Dayna are calling for greater recognition of invisible illnesses and more robust support systems. They urge clinicians to listen first, avoid dismissive assumptions, and pursue thorough, multidisciplinary evaluation when needed. The goal is not to erase pain entirely but to improve quality of life, education, and hope for the future. As Cooper puts it, if a child says they are in pain, their experience should be taken seriously rather than dismissed.
Key Takeaways for Families and Educators
- Chronic pain in youth is common and often misunderstood or misattributed.
- Diagnosis can take years; a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach improves outcomes.
- Management focuses on daily living strategies, not just a cure.
- School and social environments play a critical role in supporting affected children.
For young Australians living with chronic pain, visibility matters. With better awareness, more compassionate care, and practical accommodations, the next generation can navigate pain without feeling unheard or dismissed.
