Abstract
BackgroundChronic pain that persists for more than three months and continues beyond the normal period of tissue healing is considered as a significant health problem among children. Chronic pain has a significant impact on children and adolescents’ daily activities. Importantly, school functioning including school attendance, academic achievement, perceptions of self and teacher towards academic competence, classroom attention, participation in school activities, and social functioning, appears to be influenced by paediatric chronic pain. It is therefore important to manage the pain of children and adolescents in the school settings in order to minimise impact on school functioning.ObjectiveThis aim of this review was to critically synthesise current empirical studies on the impact of chronic pain on adolescents’ school functioning and the pain management interventions in school settings for adolescents with chronic pain.MethodsA systematic review was conducted on school functioning in adolescents aged 13–18 years with chronic pain and pain management in the school setting. A comprehensive search of seven databases; Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ERIC, ScienLO, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE databases, was accomplished covering the period from January 1st, 1976 to December 31st, 2018.ResultsThe studies on the topic of school functioning reported that chronic pain has a significant influence on school attendance. Adolescents with chronic pain appear to miss more days than healthy peers. In addition, chronic pain among adolescents is associated with a sense of isolation. This population see themselves as different than their school classmates and peers. However, other studies indicate that chronic pain has no effect on adolescents’ academic competence. In order to overcome the struggles of adolescents with chronic pain face in the school settings, studies suggested that the medical team and family members should work in tandem with the teachers to enable an appropriate response to children’s chronic pain.