Procedural Pain Management in Neonates, Infants and Children

Abstract

• Neonates, infants and children all feel pain and require analgesia for painful procedures. • Many painful procedures are associated with medical interventions, including immunisation, heel lance, venesection, IV cannulation and dressing change. • Untreated pain can have short and long term effects, including sensitisation to pain episodes in later life. • A range of non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions have been shown to be effective for procedural pain management in infants and children, and are most effective when used in combination. • Developmental changes in pain responses, analgesic response and drug pharmacokinetics need to be taken into account when planning procedural pain management for neonates. • Comprehensive evidence based guidelines are available to guide effective procedural pain management in neonates, infants and older children.