At today's visit, the doctor diagnosed your child with amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome (AMPS). AMPS is a complex pain condition in which a person feels intense pain. The pain can be in one part of the body or all over. They may also have other symptoms, like changes in skin color, headaches, dizziness, trouble focusing or remembering things, or trouble sleeping. AMPS can make it hard for a child to enjoy normal, everyday activities. Treatment focuses on improving a child's ability to participate in daily activities such as school and sports. Follow these instructions to help your child cope and get back to everyday life.

• Help your child do all the home exercises that the health care team gives you. Doing these exercises regularly helps build strength, endurance, and agility. The exercises help children reconnect with the normal sensations of being active, rather than focusing on pain.
• Kids with AMPS might avoid doing things because they're worried about pain. Even if a recommended activity seems hard for your child, offer encouragement and guidance. Help your child practice what they have learned from the care team.
• Listen if your child wants to talk about the pain, but don't let them dwell on it. Give comfort and show you care. Then switch the focus to something more positive.
• Be patient. Feeling better takes time.

Your child:

• has pain in a new area
• has side effects from medicines, if the care team prescribed any
• has trouble doing the activities that the care team recommended

Why do kids get AMPS? It isn't clear why children get AMPS. Experts think there may be some problem with the way the nervous system handles or senses pain signals. The bones, muscles, organs, and other structural parts of the body are often healthy. But the nerves that connect to these structures are not sending the right pain signals to or from the brain.

Biological, psychological, and social factors all can be involved in the development of AMPS:

• Biological factors include things such as genetics, injuries, previous medical conditions, and lifestyle habits.
• Psychological factors include memories and experiences with pain or medical procedures and general coping style.
• Social factors include family experiences with pain, community responses to pain, cultural expectations of how pain is managed, and health care access.

How is AMPS treated? Treatment is a combination of:

• physical therapy and/or occupational therapy
• cognitive behavioral therapy, which teaches skills to understand pain
• other types of therapy, such as yoga or massage
• sometimes medicines (when needed) 

Because AMPS is complex, your child will work with many different experts on their care team to reach a goal of returning to school and everyday activities.

Some kids with AMPS use assistive devices like braces, walkers, or canes. Specialists will work with children to help them stop using these devices when they're no longer needed.

How long and how often kids get treatment depends on their situation. As kids get better, the time between medical or therapy visits may be longer. Kids may come back for checkups to be sure they are remembering to use the skills they learned and continue to do well.