Dr Joshua Pate is a pain scientist and physiotherapy lecturer in the Graduate School of Health at UTS. He has a new book series teaching children that pain is one of the body’s powerful protectors, and it is possible to re-train the body and brain to manage pain better.
Left: Zoe & Zak’s Pain Hacks Book Series 1-5. (Photo: Noigroup Publications). Right: Dr Joshua Pate, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, UTS Graduate School of Health. (Photo: supplied).
There are 3.6 million Australians living with chronic pain, and thanks to a new book series, Dr Joshua Pate’s Zoe and Zak’s Pain Hacks (opens external website) and the latest pain science research (opens external website) future generations might not have to suffer the same fate.
“Chronic pain is a huge challenge faced by many families,” Joshua says, “but because it’s often invisible, many people don’t realise that most classrooms have on average, a few kids challenged by chronic pain in them.”
Joshua’s book series aims to empower children aged 6 to 10 with strategies to help them learn and talk about pain with their family, friends, teachers and health professionals.
The first four books each address one key target concept, the fifth book brings these learning outcomes together with an empowering action plan. Used together, these books are targeted pain science education at its best.