Services
Persistent Physical Symptom Service
Our CYPS Persistent Physical Symptom (PPS) Service works with patients under the age of 18 and professionals across Gloucestershire to increase understanding and confidence in management of long-term physical symptoms, where there is no medical cause.
About this service
We are a joint team of medical practitioners from Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust and Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The team is made up of experienced paediatricians, a clinical psychologist, physiotherapist and occupational therapist offering support, advice psychoeducation and therapy for patients with persistent physical symptoms that are significantly affecting a young person’s daily life.
We work together with children, young people, their parents, carers and education settings to understand and manage their symptoms, with the aim of improving both their day-to-day life.
What are persistent physical symptoms?
How do persistent physical symptoms affect young people?
Symptoms can vary and may include headaches, stomach aches and other digestive problems, joint and other pains, and tiredness. Less common symptoms can be episodes of collapse, seizures, muscle weakness and changes to the way a child walks or moves. The symptoms may persist for several weeks, months or sometimes longer.
Persistent physical symptoms may result in children and young people:
- Missing a lot of school, meaning they may not achieve what they should, academically or socially
- Seeing less of their friends, and having fewer interests, hobbies and fun
- Losing confidence, or becoming increasingly worried, anxious or low in their mood
- Becoming less independent than other young people their age.
In the most severe cases, children might also spend a significant amount of time as inpatients in hospital.
What can I do to help a young person with Persistent Physical Symptoms?
- Reassure them that in most cases persistent physical symptoms resolve over time without medical intervention and do not last forever. A common fear they may have is “I will always feel like this”
- Be clear that you believe them and know that their symptoms are real, not ‘made up’ or ‘in their head’
- Explain that sometimes a ‘reason’ for symptoms is never found and this is OK. Symptoms can go away as mysteriously as they arrived without there being “something wrong” with them
- Talk openly about other issues or stressors that may also be important to them. Sometimes these can play an important role in understanding why the physical symptoms are happening now
- When needed, doctors and therapists can work with children and young people to help them live well with a symptom (i.e. so it impacts less on their daily life) while it gradually gets better with time.
Referrals
We only accept referrals from professionals such as NHS clinicians and therapists for children and young people who are experiencing significant symptoms that are affecting their daily life; where no identifiable medical explanation has been found
To make a referral please contact the service for a referral form: PPSService@ghc.nhs.uk
Professionals can also access our referral form on Gcare.
Resources
- neurokid.co.uk is a national website set up by two Paediatric Clinical Neuropsychologists who work with children and young people with a range of conditions including non-epileptic attack disorder. The site provides more information about the condition.
- Facts4Life is a multi-layered health resilience programme for Early Years, Primary and Secondary schools. Find out more at org
- https://aci.health.nsw.gov.au/chronic-pain/painbytes provides families with additional information relating to pain
- Home – Flippin’ Pain (flippinpain.co.uk)
- Feel better live more podcast #310 #310 How To Heal Chronic Pain with Dr Howard Schubiner | Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee on Acast
- Howard Schubiner What is pain? YouTube Videos
Books for parents and adolescents
- You Don’t Understand Me by Tara Porter
- It’s all in your Head by Suzanne O’Sullivan
- The Body keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk
- The Painful Truth book by Monty Lyman (for parents)
For younger children
- The Zoe and Zak pain hacks books by Joshua W. Pate
Mental health support
- nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/coping-with-panic-attacks/
- ticplus.org.uk/ is a local organisation offering mental health support and advice to parents and young people.
- headspace.com/meditation/kids A website/ app with activities to practice mindfulness and relaxation
- https://teensleephub.org.uk provides support with problems affecting sleep.
- Hope Programme for Long COVID (16-18 years) provides support specific to long covid
Contact details
Telephone:
0300 421 8171
E-mail:
Address:
Springbank Resource Centre, Springbank Way, Cheltenham GL51 OLG
