Research Council - backup mandate Emma Rheel - A contemporary neuroscience approach for children with functional abdominal pain disorders

Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) are common in schoolage children, cause great suffering to patients and their families and have a considerable socio-economic impact. Because currently there is little high-quality evidence available to guide decisions for treatment in these patients, we here propose a novel and scientifically well-substantiated contemporary neuroscience approach (i.e. pain neuroscience education + cognition-targeted functional exercises) to pediatric FAPD. The primary goal of this research proposal is to investigate whether this approach is more effective in improving abdominal pain in children with FAPD compared to the current best evidence therapy, (i.e. hypnotherapy). Given the positive effects of this contemporary neuroscience approach in adults with chronic pain, the successful proof-of-concept data in adolescents with chronic pain, and the effectiveness of pain neuroscience education as a stand-alone approach in children with FAPD, we hypothesize that the proposed contemporary neuroscience approach will be more effective to reduce abdominal pain at mid- and long-term compared to current best evidence therapy (i.e. hypnotherapy).