Children and adolescents with chronic pain often experience difficulties participating in daily occupations, including self-care, school, play, and social activities. Chronic pain can also be associated with co-occurring conditions such as anxiety, fatigue, and sleep disturbances, further impacting function. Occupational therapy practitioners play a key role in addressing these challenges through the use of interventions to support participation, manage symptoms, and improve overall quality of life.
Live Webinar
Tue, Jul 14, 2026 at 12:00 pm EDTUnder Review: AOTA/0.1 - Application has been made to the American Occupational Therapy Association's (AOTA's) Approved Provider Program.
Learning Outcomes
- After this course, participants will be able to recognize multiple understandings of pain and the derivation of pain.
- After this course, participants will be able to describe common conditions and its impact on children and adolescents who experience chronic pain.
- After this course, participants will be able to explain various strategies, supports, and resources to support children, adolescents, and their families dealing with chronic pain.
Agenda
| 0-5 Minutes | Welcome, Introduction, Orientation to the Topic |
| 5-15 Minutes | Statistics regarding chronic pain and pain management; Multiple understandings of pain and the derivation of pain |
| 15-30 Minutes | Relevance of chronic pain and co-occurring conditions for children and adolescents; Common conditions |
| 30-50 Minutes | Supports, strategies, and resources for children and adolescents experiencing pain and chronic pain; Support for family caregivers |
| 50-60 Minutes | Summary, Q & A |
Presented By
Christina Marsack-Topolewski
PhD LMSW
Dr. Christina Marsack-Topolewski is an associate professor of Social Work in the College of Health and Human Services at Eastern Michigan University. Dr. Marsack-Topolewski received her PhD in Social Work with a dual title in Gerontology from Wayne State University. She has worked with individuals with various intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) for 20 years. Her research focuses on individuals with autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities, their caregivers, advanced care planning, the service delivery model, and service utilization. She has over 90 publications in national and international journals and encyclopedias, mainly focusing on individuals with IDDs, caregiving, and services and supports. In addition, she has presented her work locally, nationally, and internationally.
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Financial: Christina Marsack-Topolewski received an honorarium for presenting this course. Non-financial: Christina Marsack-Topolewski has no relevant non-financial relationships to disclose. She is an associate professor of Social Work in the College of Health and Human Services at Eastern Michigan University.
Sponsor Disclosure: This Course is presented by OccupationalTherapy.com, a Continued site.
Content Disclosure: This learning event does not focus exclusively on any specific product or service.
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