Benjamin, Julia Z.

ABSTRACT: Objective: Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is estimated to occur in up to 1% of adolescents, with symptoms of dizziness, fatigue, and pain impacting daily functioning. However, many risk factors and symptoms for POTS overlap with those of youth with disordered eating, and adolescents with POTS may be at increased risk for developing eating disorders. Therefore, the present study sought to better understand this overlap. We hypothesized that patients with POTS would have higher than expected rates of weight change, restrictive eating patterns, and food sensitivities. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 96 adolescents and young adults diagnosed with POTS who were participating in a 3-week intensive interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program. We conducted descriptive and correlational statistical analyses on data from self-report measures, biomarkers of nutritional status, and abstracted information about eating and weight concerns from medical notes. Results: Nearly 3 quarters of participants described engaging in restrictive eating, and more than half of them described experiencing weight loss. They also endorsed experiencing food allergies, celiac disease, and eating disorder at higher rates than would be expected in the general population. One-fifth of the sample had experienced invasive interventions to correct for nutritional imbalances, such as having a feeding tube. Conclusion: Weight and eating are clear areas of risk for patients with orthostatic intolerance. It is essential that treatment team members thoroughly screen for eating disturbances and make recommendations that support regular and balanced eating habits.

AbstractBackgroundMost research on family impacts of paediatric chronic pain has been conducted with mothers, and therefore, little is known about fathers' adjustment. However, it is well established that caring for a child with chronic pain takes a toll on caregiver well‐being. Parents of children with chronic pain have been found to experience high levels of anxiety, depression, and parenting stress. As such, the goal of this study was to examine differences between mothers and fathers of youth with chronic pain, explore interaction effects between parent gender and child variables, and compare parents' scores to national norms.MethodsParticipants included 160 matched mothers and fathers of youth with chronic pain participating in an interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programme. At admission, parents completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies–Depression scale and SF‐36 to assess depression and health‐related quality of life. T tests and analysis of variance were used to explore differences between mothers and fathers and population norms.ResultsMothers reported experiencing significantly poorer functioning than did fathers in the domains of emotional role interference, social functioning, and vitality. Differences remained significant when controlling for other psychosocial variables using multiple regression. Child gender and depression level were found to be significant predictors of parent mental health, with mothers' mental health more negatively influenced by child depression. Additionally, mothers' scores in mental health domains were significantly lower than population norms.ConclusionsThese findings highlight the importance of identifying the ways in which chronic pain in youth may affect parents differently in order to enhance caregiver support and interventions.