Understanding Peripheral Nerve Pain in Children: Causes & Types

According to nlm.nih.gov, there are over 100 kinds of disorders that cause peripheral nerve pain in children. Peripheral nerves consist of sensory and motor nerves. When a child suffers from peripheral nerve pain, it causes great discomfort. (See Reference 1)

Types

• There are two types of peripheral nerve pain that children experience: chronic and acute. Chronic nerve pain occurs when the pain continues despite the fact that there is no damage as opposed to acute pain where there is damage. (See Resource 1)

Effects

• Children who have peripheral nerve pain may experience numbness, burning, weakened muscles and sensitivity when touched. (See Reference 1)

Causes

• Causes of peripheral nerve pain in children include trauma caused by falls or injuries, systemic diseases and infections. (See Reference 2)

Identification

• To identify whether or not a child is experiencing peripheral nerve pain, a doctor will take a medical history and conduct a neurological examination. Blood work and a urinalysis may also be ordered. (See Reference 2)

Treatment

• Treatment of peripheral nerve pain in children depends on the cause of the pain. For minor cases, only medication is required, but for serious cases, surgery is the only option to fix the pain. (See Reference 3)