AMPS: How to Care for Your Child

At today's visit, the doctor diagnosed your child with amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome (AMPS). AMPS is when a person's nerves become extra sensitive to pain. This means kids feel intense pain that makes it hard to enjoy normal activities. Treatment focuses on reducing the extra sensitivity to pain. Follow these instructions to help your child cope and get back to everyday life.

• Your child is getting help to reset the body's nerve signals. This can take many months. Make sure your child goes to all of the therapy appointments.

• Help your child do all the home exercises that the health care team gives you. Doing these exercises regularly helps build strength, endurance, and agility. The exercises help children reconnect with the normal sensations of being active, rather than focusing on pain.

• Kids with AMPS might avoid doing things because they're worried about pain. Even if a prescribed activity seems hard for your child, stay firm. Offer reassurance. Encourage your child to do what the care team says.

• Listen if your child wants to talk about the pain. But don't let your child dwell on it. Give comfort and show you care. Then switch the focus to something more positive.

• Be patient. Feeling better takes time. But don't let your child use pain as an excuse to avoid responsibilities or miss out on fun.

Your child:

• Has pain in a new area.

• Seems worse.

• Has side effects from medicines, if the care team prescribed any.

• Has trouble doing the activities that the care team recommended.

Why do kids get AMPS? AMPS might start after an illness or injury (like a broken bone). The nerves in the body interpret pain signals as stronger than they should be. Emotional stress can increase the sensation of pain. Sometimes, doctors can't find a clear reason why a child develops AMPS.

With AMPS, a child may have pain in one part of their body or all over. Kids may also have other symptoms, like changes in skin color, dizziness, trouble focusing or remembering things, or trouble sleeping.

How is AMPS treated? The main goal of treatment is to "reset" the nerves that have become extra sensitive to pain signals. This is done through medicines (when needed), physical therapy and/or occupational therapy, and psychological support.

The different experts on a child's care team will work closely together. Their goal is to retrain the child's body and brain — and get the child back to school and other activities.

Some kids with AMPS use assistive devices like braces, walkers, or canes. Specialists work with children to help them stop using these devices when they're no longer needed.

How long and how often kids get treatment depends on their situation. As kids get better, the time between visits may be longer. Kids may come back for checkups to be sure they are remembering to use the skills they learned and continue to do well.