Sydney: (The Conversation) - Most children recover from pain after injury or illness, but for one in five - about 877,000 children in Australia - the pain continues.

Clinicians call this chronic or persistent pain, lasting longer than three months. It can stem from injury or conditions like arthritis, but often occurs without a known cause.

A report commissioned by Chronic Pain Australia surveyed 229 children, young people, and families. It found chronic pain affects every aspect of life - sport, school, friendships, and parents' work - yet often remains invisible.

Key findings from the 2025 National Kids in Pain Report include:

Diagnosis delays: 64% of families waited over three years for a diagnosis; many never received one.

School disruption: 83% of children missed classes; more than half fell behind academically.

Sleep and mental health: 84% struggled with sleep; over 80% experienced anxiety, low mood, or other psychological impacts.

Family and economic costs: Almost half of carers reduced work hours or left employment; one in five parents resigned.

Girls were disproportionately affected (57% of cases). The annual economic toll is estimated at AUD 15 billion. Families reported being dismissed, often told the pain was “anxiety” (71%), “growing pains” (54%), or attention-seeking (35%).

Chronic pain in Australia remains largely invisible because it is not formally recognised or tracked in national health data. Only nine paediatric pain clinics exist nationwide, with none in Tasmania or the Northern Territory.

Guidelines recommend coordinated care connecting health professionals, schools, and families, along with approaches including gradual physical activity, sleep support, psychological therapies, flare-up management, and careful use of medicines. Schools must make reasonable adjustments under the Disability Discrimination Act and Disability Standards for Education.

National recognition of chronic pain as a distinct condition, following the World Health Organisation, is crucial to address paediatric pain effectively. Children and carers want to go to school, play sport, and live a life not dominated by pain.