Pediatric Pain Rehabilitation Center

The Mayo Family Pediatric Pain Rehabilitation Center (PPRC) serves the needs of children and adolescents with chronic pain, most commonly musculoskeletal and neuropathic pain.

Program participants are typically between 7 and 18 years old.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), also known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), is the most common diagnosis given to children referred to our center.

The PPRC is located at Boston Children's Hospital at Waltham. Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8am to 4:00pm.

Mission Statement

The primary mission of the PPRC at Boston Children's Hospital at Waltham is to provide intensive interdisciplinary rehabilitative treatment for children and adolescents with chronic neuropathic/musculoskeletal pain with associated limb dysfunction, most commonly due to CRPS/RSD. This partial-hospital treatment program is particularly appropriate for the subgroup of patients who have not had sufficient reductions in pain or improvements in limb dysfunction with conventional outpatient treatment. A second mission of the PPRC is to conduct state-of-the-art clinical and translational research into the mechanisms underlying CRPS/RSD and to evaluate factors that impact on clinical outcomes.

Treatment Goals

The PPRC helps individuals to accomplish the following goals:

• Regain control of their lives
• Resume normal function, including school, play and socialization
• Reduce or eliminate emotional distress related to the pain
• Regain the physical strength and endurance necessary for full involvement in life activities
• Re-establish more normal relationships with family and friends
• Reduce level of pain, when possible
• Replace a self-image of disability with one of wellness

Who We Are

The core interdisciplinary team at the PPRC includes physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, nurses, and physicians.  The physicians are pediatric subspecialists with expertise in care of children with chronic pain. They include pediatric anesthesiologists and pediatric neurologists.

Our core staff consists of:

• A clinical coordinator
• Physical therapists
• Occupational therapists
• Psychologists
• Attending physicians

Facilities

Our 2500-square-foot space, on the ground floor of Boston Children's Hospital at Waltham, includes:

• 2 bio-behavioral therapy rooms
• 2 private physical therapy rooms
• Physician consult room
• Functional training area
• Therapeutic pool with shower and changing area
• Conference room
• Activity room for participants
• 2 handicap access bathrooms
• Administrative office