30.01.2012

Deutsches Kinderschmerzzentrum Datteln

Over 350.000 children and adolescents in Germany suffer from chronic pain. The new centre for paediatric pain management has been founded to promote pertinent therapies and research, and to ensure public attention for the suffering of children and adolescents with chronic pain.

---

Over 350.000 children and adolescents in Germany suffer from chronic pain, with fatal consequences such as individual distress and serious gaps in school education. A new centre for paediatric pain management was founded at the Vestische Kinderklinik Datteln (paediatric hospital) / Witten/Herdecke University on January 16, 2012. The major objective is to show affected youngsters and their families a way back to a life without pain.

The number of children and adolescents with chronic pains is growing. More and more children complain of chronic headaches, abdominal and back pain, with distress and missed school lessons as consequences. The new centre has been founded to counter such effects, to promote pertinent therapies and research, and to ensure public attention for the suffering of children and adolescents with chronic pain.      

The centre builds on a long tradition of experience in the pain treatment of young patients. For years Datteln has had a quite unique ward for paediatric pain management with outpatient facilities. In recognition of successful performance, the Datteln ward was declared a landmark in the nationwide “land of ideas 2011” competition. Researchers at the new centre intend to combine experience from research and therapy, make further progress and optimize health services on the local, regional and national level.

The initiator of Deutsches Kinderschmerzzentrum is Prof. Dr. Boris Zernikow: “It is a matter of personal importance to us to to help children and adolescents manage chronic pain and make a new start in a self-determined life.” His project has many politically influential backers. “Childen are our future. They deserve our support to lead a self-determined life,” so the members of the German parliament’s committee for children’s affairs, with Nicole Bracht-Bendt (Liberal Party) in the chair, who underlined the importance of initiatives such as the new centre at the official inauguration.

Dr. med. Theodor Windhorst, president of the regional medical association, sees the centre as a potentially important signal in society and a means to improve health services for this significant and vulnerable target group.

The regional association of SHI physicians is also full of praise for the professional and high-quality health services for paediatric pain patients, according to second chairman Dr. Gerhard Nordmann: “Close cooperation between family doctors, specialists and clinicians will improve treatment considerably, and the entire outpatient care system will profit from prospective research results.”

Another focus apart from paediatric pain management will be research and quality control in therapy. Many physicians are still challenged to prescribe appropriate and effective medication. Dr. Ingrid Spohr, director of the medication section at Mundipharma GmbH voiced the expectation that the centre will serve to ensure need-based therapy, publish relevant study results, and advance research.

Prof. Zernikow attaches much importance to the close research cooperation with Witten/Herdecke University, as evidenced in the endowed chair for paediatric pain management and palliative care which was established at UW/H in 2008. The UW/H president Prof. Dr. Martin Butzlaff calls the centre a flagship project. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Koppert (president, Deutsche Schmerzgesellschaft) pointed out that research into paediatric pain management is inadequate worldwide, and that the new centre has the potential to answer many open research questions.

Insurance providers also welcome the centre. Ulrich Adler (Techniker-Krankenkasse): “Chronic pains are a serious problem for society. Many children suffering from chronic pain will still suffer as adults. Early and effective therapies reduce individual suffering and ensure education and perspectives for affected children and adolescents. Only youngsters whose existence is not defined by pain can lead a normal and age appropriate life, go to school, start working, and play an active role in society.”

The internet portal of the new centre is now online:
www.deutsches-kinderschmerzzentrum.de
has comprehensive and detailed information on paediatric pain management for patients, parents and health care providers.