Re: preemie-l From Gaelle: pain (fwd)
Sheena L Carter (scart01@emory.edu)
Wed, 12 Jun 1996 08:41:27 -0400 (EDT)
In reply to Gaelle's concerns about pain insensitivity:
Children who were born prematurely often continue to have altered
sensitivity to pain. There are also some rare syndromes which have this
symptom. This should be discussed with your pediatrician, and he can
recommend therapy if necessary. Total pain insensitivity is rare and
potentially dangerous (as children can hurt themselves without awareness),
but this is not characteristic of former preemies. Milder forms
of hyper- or hypo-sensitivity to touch, etc., can also be problematic for
children and is seen frequently in children born early or who have
experienced early illness and/or injury. Many occupational therapists
(and some specialized psychologists and other therapists) are trained to
treat such conditions. A referral from a pediatrician is advisable and
usually required.
Sheena
(Gary, am I using the wrong address?)