w to hold it close rather than dragging it at a heavy distance. (See the most common hospital mishaps.)
Parents also must be educated. According to Lynnda Dahlquist, a professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and co-author of the chronic-pain chapter in the Handbook of Pediatric Psychology (2003), many parents reinforce avoidance behavior in kids with chronic pain by doing something that comes naturally to parents: being kind to their kids. "Let's say Johnny's back pain flares up during math class," says Dahlquist. "He feels terrible, so he says, 'I can't do my math.' Mom comes, takes him home, puts the TV on and gives him a back rub. Well, math isn't fun. And who wouldn't like a back rub?" Instead of being indulged, kids with chronic pain often need a push.
ACT can provide that push but one that comes from within. The new study suggests a less sentimental approach for kids with chronic pain: sympathy but never pity.