APS2025: Annual Scientific Meeting PinC SIG Travel Grant Recipient Report

Nadine Smith

Nadine is a physiotherapist who works in Kids Rehab WA at Perth Children’s Hospital. Her current research has focused on improving the psychosocial assessment of chronic pain in children and young people with cerebral palsy.

2025 Australian Pain Society 45^th Annual Scientific Meeting

I was fortunate to receive a Pain in Childhood Special Interest Group (PinC SIG) PhD Student Travel Grant, which enabled me to travel from Perth to Melbourne to attend the 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian Pain Society.

I work with children who have cerebral palsy—a population with diverse communication, cognitive, and motor abilities. Attending the past three APS Annual Scientific Meetings (ASMs) has allowed me to learn from leading experts in paediatric pain and apply this knowledge in my work with children with disabilities. Being part of the Pain in Child Health (PICH) initiative has been a highlight of these meetings, offering multiple opportunities to present and connect with international leaders in child and young people’s pain from both Canada and Australia.

I have been especially interested in the focus on interdisciplinary pain management and the roles of clinical psychology, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy. This has highlighted the current gaps in access to pain interventions for people with cerebral palsy.

At the PinC SIG pre-conference workshop, I enjoyed the presentation on virtual reality by Dr Nicole Pope, Dr Carolyn Berryman, and Jasmine Cruz. Our team also presented work on the development of a core outcome set for chronic pain assessment tools tailored to individuals with cerebral palsy, regardless of communication or cognitive ability. My colleague Meredith Smith presented on adaptations to two chronic pain assessment tools, which was recognised with the Best Poster Presentation prize.

A personal highlight of the conference was Professor Tamar Pincus’ keynote on the validation of chronic pain and the use of the plasticine video. Her critique of terms such as ‘catastrophising’ strongly resonated with feedback we have received from people with lived experience of cerebral palsy. This is reflected in the chronic pain assessment tools included in the cerebral palsy specific core outcome set.

Thank you for the opportunity to attend APS 2025. I look forward to attending APS 2026!

Declaration: Nadine Smith has nothing to declare.