Family Help Program: Pediatric Recurrent Headache and Abdominal Pain

The purpose of the Family Help Program is to deliver, primary care mental health services to children and their families in the comfort and privacy of their own home. Approximately 106 children (9-12 years of age)suffering from mild to moderate (but clinically significant) symptoms of pediatric Recurrent Headache/Abdominal Pain will be randomized.

The intervention is delivered from a distance, using educational materials (manuals, video-tapes, audio-tapes) and telephone consultation with a trained paraprofessional "coach" who is supervised by a licensed health care professional. The telephone coach delivers consistent care based on written protocols, with on-going evaluation by a professional team.

Fifty percent of the eligible participants will receive Family Help Program telephone-based treatment and 50% will be referred back to their family physician to receive standard care as determined by that physician. Those receiving standard care will be evaluated for outcome results and then compared to the Family Help treated participants. It is anticipated that Family Help treatment will be proven to be as or more effective than standard care.

Inclusion criteria

• child 9 to 16 years of age
• child had recurrent headache and abdominal pain at least 3 times a month
• child's physical examination normal
• access to a telephone in the home
• speak and write english
• mild to moderate anxiety symptomology

Exclusion criteria

• child's pain due to trauma, systemic disease or disorder
• child received any psychological treatment for this or similar disorder in the past 6 months