Pediatric Pain: Pathophysiology, Evaluation and Treatment

• Autor(a) principal: Lemos, Simone
• Data de Publicação: 2010
• Outros Autores: Ambiel, Celia Regina
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Saúde e Pesquisa (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.unicesumar.edu.br/index.php/saudpesq/article/view/1685
• topic: Pain Assessment; Pathos-Physiology of Pain; Pediatric Pain; Pediatrics.; Avaliação da Dor; Fisiopatologia da Dor; Dor Pediátrica; Pediatria.

Major advances have been developed during the last decades in the understanding of pain at various stages of human development and, consequently, there has been an improvement in its treatment in children. However, children’s pain still goes under-treated or not treated appropriately. Since children are not small adults, the signaling pathways involved in the functional experience of pain in newborns, children and even teenagers differ from that of adults. This fact implies: a) the need of appropriate methods for assessing pain intensity applied by skilled professionals who take into account age, children’s cognitive and motor development, and their physical and emotional state; b) pharmacologic strategies for pain management that would take into account the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of analgesic drugs according to age and to the physical and emotional state of the child; c) knowledge and implementation by professionals (and families) of non-pharmacological complementary practices. Current study reviews the literature on the pathos-physiology of pain in adults and children and identifies the best methods of pain assessment in the latter. It also describes the pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies currently available for pain relief in children. The standardization of pain assessment as the fifth vital sign and its proper treatment will only be achieved with the implementation of public policies that invest in research and promote training and awareness of professionals (multidisciplinary team), coupled to the participation of children affected by pain and especially of their family.