Neuropathic pain in children

Lesions or disease of the somatosensory nervous system can produce neuropathic pain (NP). Typical features include spontaneous or paroxysmal pain, often described as burning, shooting, like electric shocks, or pins and needles. NP does occur in childhood, but age at the time of injury may influence the risk of NP following traumatic nerve injuries. Whilst conditions commonly associated with NP in adults may be less common in childhood (e.g., trigeminal neuralgia), other conditions (e.g., Fabry’s disease and erythromelalgia) may present with pain in childhood and provide a diagnostic challenge for paediatric practitioners