Pain Management In Children

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• Pain is an unpleasant feeling and emotional experience that your child often complains of when he is hurt or injured. It may be a sign that there is something bad happening in an organ or tissue of his body. The body contains special cells that receive signals when there is damage or injury to the body. These cells will send information to the brain that there is an ongoing injury. When the brain receives the message, the body will be informed and he feels the pain. Pain is acute if it is sudden and lasts only a few days to a few weeks. It is chronic if the pain lasts for several weeks to months.
  
  
• Pain may be caused by an injury, trauma, disease, or damage to a part of the body. Medical procedures, such as blood tests and surgery, may also cause pain. Your child may tell you directly that he is in pain or you may see it through his behavior. Pain scales, such as a faces pain scale, poker chip tool, and color pain scale, may be used to measure the level of pain. Physiologic (body function) and behavior changes, such as facial expression, may also be used to check the level of his pain. Medicines like analgesics, anesthetics, and non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), may be used to control the pain. Controlling pain as soon as possible may help relieve your child's symptoms and improve his quality of life.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Medicines:

• Pain medicine: Your child may need medicine to take away or decrease pain. Know how often your child should get the medicine and how much. Watch for signs of pain in your child. Tell caregivers if his pain continues or gets worse. To prevent falls, stay with your child to help him get out of bed.
  
  
  • Keep a current list of your child's medicines: Include the amounts, and when, how, and why they are taken. Bring the list and the medicines in their containers to follow-up visits. Carry your child's medicine list with you in case of an emergency. Throw away old medicine lists. Give vitamins, herbs, or food supplements only as directed.
    
    
  • Give your child's medicine as directed: Call your child's primary healthcare provider if you think the medicine is not working as expected. Tell him if your child is allergic to any medicine. Ask before you change or stop giving your child his medicines.
    
    
  • Do not give aspirin to children under 18 years of age: Your child could develop Reye syndrome if he takes aspirin. Reye syndrome can cause life-threatening brain and liver damage. Check your child's medicine labels for aspirin, salicylates, or oil of wintergreen.
    
    
  • Analgesics: These medicines may include acetaminophen and morphine. It may be taken every 4 to 6 hours for mild to moderate pain. Morphine is given to provide longer control of pain. It may be given as patient controlled analgesia.
    
    
    • Patient controlled analgesia (PCA): A device is used to give your child pain medicine. This device has an electric pump connected by a tube to an IV line. The IV tube is placed in your child's vein usually in the arm. Your child receives medicine from the pump through the tube when he is in pain. Ask you child's caregiver for more information about PCA.
      
      
    
    
  • Non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS): This medicine may be given to decrease inflammation which is redness, pain, and swelling. It is used for mild to moderate pain control, such as pain coming from a pulled tooth. It may also be used in controlling pain after surgery.
  
  

Ask for more information about where and when to take your child for follow-up visits:

For continuing care, treatments, or home services for your child, ask for information.

CONTACT A CAREGIVER IF:

• Your child has a fever.
  
  
• Your child has nausea (stomach upset) or vomiting (throwing up).
  
  
• Your child had become sleepy more than the usual after taking his medicines.

SEEK CARE IMMEDIATELY IF:

• Your child's skin becomes red, swollen and itchy.
  
  
• Your child has trouble breathing all of a sudden.
  
  
• Your child is very sad, depressed, or not able to cope with his pain or illness.
  
  
• Your child has a new pain, or the pain seems worse than before and does not go away

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

Learn more about Pain Management In Children (Aftercare Instructions)