Half experienced pain before age 10, as new Australian data reveals life-course impact of childhood chronic pain
Australian children living with chronic pain are experiencing symptoms from a median age of just nine, with new national research revealing the condition is disrupting almost every part of childhood – from school and sport to sleep, friendships and mental wellbeing.
Released to mark Kids in Pain Week 2026, Chronic Pain Australia’s new 2026 Kids in Pain Report: Pain Lives Here Too, reveals 51 per cent of those who provided an age of onset first experienced pain before they were 10 years old.
Almost one quarter (24%) were aged five or younger when their pain began.
The findings paint a confronting picture of chronic pain changing the course of childhood, with:
- 83% reporting an impact on sport or extracurricular activities;
- 82% experiencing disrupted sleep;
- 80% reporting an impact on their mental health;
- 76% missing school because of pain;
- 61% falling behind academically;
- 59% experiencing isolation; and
- 51% reporting an impact on friendships.
Among children and young people who quantified their school absence, 71 per cent were missing at least two days of school in a typical week, while four in five (80%) reported difficulty focusing or learning.
Yet despite the scale of these impacts, the report found many children and families struggled to have their pain recognised.
While 91 per cent had accessed healthcare for their pain, 62 per cent reported being ignored or dismissed. More than two thirds (69%) had been told their pain was anxiety, 58 per cent were told it was normal and 57 per cent were told it was growing pains. Others had been told their pain was related to hormones (41%), school refusal (38%) or attention seeking (34%).
Among those who had received a formal diagnosis and provided information about the time taken to get there, 39 per cent waited three years or more.
Chronic Pain Australia Chair Nicolette Ellis said the findings show an urgent need to address the pain gap for Australian children whose chronic pain is taking away essential life experiences.
“Childhood should be shaped by learning, friendships, sport, sleepovers and simply having the freedom to be a kid. But too many children with chronic pain are losing years to a system that does not recognise their pain early enough or connect families with the care and support they need,” Ms Ellis said.
“Earlier recognition matters. We need children and families to be heard, believed and supported before pain has the opportunity to shape the rest of their lives. The earlier we recognise and respond to chronic pain, the better chance we have of changing that trajectory.”
The impact on families
The report shows the impact also extends well beyond the child, placing a substantial care burden on families.
Almost two thirds (63%) of parents and carers reported spending 11 hours or more each week caring because of their child’s pain, while 31% provided at least 21 hours of care each week and 18% reported between 41 and 100 hours. Almost three quarters (73%) said their own wellbeing had been affected.
That care is also flowing into Australian workplaces. More than four in five parents and carers (83%) reported at least one employment impact associated with their child’s pain, including 42% who adjusted their working hours, 29% who took unpaid leave, 27% who resigned and 26% who reduced their hours.
The burden was overwhelmingly reported by women, who made up 96% of parent and carer respondents who provided their gender and accounted for almost all recorded resignations, unpaid leave and reductions in working hours.
Based on reported time away from work, scenario modelling in the report estimates the annual value of parent and carer work time lost could be $12.3 billion.
Families are also facing significant out-of-pocket costs. Two thirds (67%) reported financial stress and almost half (49%) had gone without at least one household essential to afford pain-related healthcare or medicines, including 24% who went without food. Among respondents who provided valid monthly healthcare costs, the estimated median combined out-of-pocket cost was $1,075 per month, or $12,900 per year.
Ms Ellis said the findings demonstrate why childhood chronic pain needs to be recognised not only as a health issue, but an education, workforce and family issue.
“When a child is living with chronic pain, the effects can spread through the entire family. Parents become carers and advocates, work is disrupted, household budgets are stretched and siblings and relationships can be affected,” Ms Ellis said.
When childhood pain follows people into adult life
The report also looks at what can happen when chronic pain begins in childhood and follows people into adult life.
Drawing on the 2026 National Pain Survey, Chronic Pain Australia compared 1,394 adults whose chronic pain began before the age of 18 with those whose pain began in adulthood.
The life-course analysis found adults whose pain began before 18 were more likely to report waiting three years or more for a diagnosis (62% compared with 33%), being dismissed (78% compared with 57%), experiencing mental health issues (87% compared with 71%), financial strain (73% compared with 60%) and being unable to work because of pain (66% compared with 59%) – reinforcing why earlier recognition and support in childhood matters.
Bria’s story
One young Australian who knows this reality is 11-year-old Brisbane girl Bria, who was diagnosed with Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder just before her third birthday and lives with pain every day.
While her condition can affect her ankles, hips, back, neck and other joints – and sometimes means using a wheelchair when her pain becomes too much – Bria works closely with her physiotherapist so she can continue doing the things she loves, including ballet and playing hockey as a goalie.
“I don’t want pain to stop me from doing the things I love. Some days are harder than others, but I work really hard to keep my body strong so I can dance, play hockey and keep reaching my goals,” Bria said.
Bria’s mum, Theresa, said the family was fortunate to have a supportive GP who helped connect them with specialists and secure an early diagnosis, but ongoing appointments and therapies still come at a significant cost.
“We’ve seen firsthand how important early recognition and the right support can be. Every child living with chronic pain deserves access to early intervention and the care they need to keep participating in their childhood,” Theresa said.
Chronic Pain Australia calls on Australians to Make Pain Count
Kids in Pain Week comes as Chronic Pain Australia calls on the Australian Government to make a clear commitment to Make Pain Count by ensuring chronic pain is consistently counted across Australia’s health system.
Australia officially backed the World Health Organisation’s efforts to recognise chronic pain as a condition in its own right – but so far, this has only been words, not action. It’s time we followed through.
Chronic pain affects more than 5.4 million Australians, adults and children, yet unlike many other major chronic conditions, it is not consistently identified or reported in national health datasets.
The issue was also highlighted in Chronic Pain Australia’s 2026 National Pain Report, which found chronic pain remains poorly understood within national health data, limiting governments’ ability to accurately understand its prevalence, plan services, direct investment and measure whether care is improving.
“Australia counts cancer. Australia counts diabetes. Australia counts heart disease. It is time Australia counted chronic pain,” Ms Ellis said.
“When pain isn’t measured, it isn’t seen – and when it isn’t seen, it is too easily overlooked in the decisions that determine healthcare, services and research.
“Making Pain Count is about ensuring the millions of Australians living with chronic pain – including children whose pain can begin before they have even finished primary school – are no longer invisible.”
Chronic Pain Australia is encouraging Australians to sign the Make Pain Count petition, calling on the Australian Government to ensure chronic pain is consistently counted across Australia’s health system so future decisions about healthcare, services and research reflect its true scale.
Learn more
Explore Kids in Pain Week 2026, access the full report and learn more about support for children and families living with chronic pain.
Kids in Pain Week 2026
Download the 2026 Kids in Pain Report: Pain Lives Here Too
Learn more about Kids in Pain
Media enquiries
For more information or to coordinate an interview, please contact:
Courtney Trewin
0420 211 251
courtney@inthemaking.com.au
Frankie Milvydas
0431 296 499
frankie@inthemaking.com.au
About the 2026 Kids in Pain Report
The 2026 Kids in Pain Report: Pain Lives Here Too draws on the experiences of 275 children, young people, parents and carers, including 127 young people and 148 parents and carers.
The report also includes new life-course analysis from Chronic Pain Australia’s 2026 National Pain Survey, comparing 1,394 adults whose chronic pain began before age 18 with adults whose pain began at age 18 or older.
[1] Kids in Pain Report 2026: Pain Lives Here Too, Chronic Pain Australia 2026
[2] National Pain Report 2026: The State of Pain in Australia, Chronic Pain Australia 2026