Chronic Pain More Common in Children With Developmental Disabilities: JAMA
A large national survey study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that children with developmental disabilities have a significantly higher prevalence of chronic pain compared to those without disabilities (13.2% vs 5.5%). The risk was more than twofold higher and was especially pronounced in children with conditions like seizures or cerebral palsy. Additionally, lower parental education, lower income, and adverse childhood experiences further increased the likelihood of chronic pain, highlighting the need for targeted screening and interventions in this vulnerable population.
Although pediatric pain can impede healthy development throughout adulthood, the prevalence of chronic pain among US children with developmental disabilities remains unclear. A study was done to evaluate parent-reported chronic pain prevalence and the association between developmental disabilities and chronic pain in US children and adolescents (hereinafter, children). This national survey study included 263 168 children aged 3 to 17 years who participated in the 2016-2023 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH). Data were analyzed from June 2025 to August 2025.
The weighted prevalence of parent-reported chronic pain in children with or without any of these 10 disabilities was calculated across the study period and by year. Logistic regression models were applied to examine the association between various categories of developmental disabilities and pain among US children as well as potential health disparities.
Results This study included a weighted sample of 224 467 664 children; of them, 135 848 (51.1%) were male with a mean (SD) age of 10.2 (4.5) years. Approximately 18.7% of children reported having at least 1 disability. The weighted prevalence of parent-reported chronic pain was higher in children with at least 1 developmental disability compared to peers without a disability (13.2% vs 5.5%) over the study period.
Adjusted analyses revealed significant associations between any of the disabilities and parent-reported chronic pain, with an odds ratio of 2.31 (95% CI, 2.14-2.49). Similar positive associations were also observed for all disability categories, particularly seizure and cerebral palsy. Moreover, higher odds of parent-reported chronic pain were associated with lower levels of parental education and family income, or more adverse childhood experiences.
The findings in this study indicate that children with diverse developmental disabilities were more likely to have parent-reported chronic pain, and this likelihood was associated with several socioeconomic factors. These findings provide important insights into targeted screening and interventions for pain in pediatric populations with developmental disabilities.
Reference:
Shi W, Kan L, Wang T, Li Y, Wang X. Parent-Reported Chronic Pain in Children With and Without Developmental Disabilities. JAMA Pediatr. Published online March 30, 2026. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2026.0512
