All 4 faces pain scales were found to be adequately supported by psychometric data .
When given a choice between faces scales , children preferred the WBFPRS .
Confounding of pain intensity with affect caused by use of smiling and crying anchor faces is a disadvantage of the WBFPRS .
: For clinical use , we found no grounds to switch from 1 faces scale to another when 1 of the scales is in use .
CONTEXT : Numerous faces scales have been developed for the measurement of  pain intensity in children .
It remains unclear whether any one of the faces scales is better for a particular purpose with regard to validity , reliability , feasibility , and preference .
OBJECTIVES : To summarize and systematic ally review faces pain scales most commonly used to obtain self-report of pain intensity in children for evaluation of reliability and validity and to compare the scales for preference and utility .
Topical anaesthesia for children's lacerations: an acceptable approach?
OBJECTIVE --To compare the anaesthetic properties of conventional intradermal 1 % plain lignocaine with a topical gel preparation of adrenaline ( 1:2000 ) and cocaine ( 4.7 % ) for use in treatment of children 's lacerations . METHODS --Children aged 3 - 16 years with lacerations ( not of the digits or mucous membranes ) were consecutively assigned to receive either adrenaline and cocaine ( AC ) or lignocaine .  Pain scores , as perceived by patients , parents , and staff , were measured conventionally using Wong Baker faces and visual analogue scales on administration of the local anaesthetic and on suturing the wound in the AC group ( n = 56 ) and the lignocaine group ( n = 51 ) . RESULTS --Mean and median pain scores on administration of the anaesthetic in the AC group were significantly lower than in the lignocaine group as perceived by patient ( P < 0.001 ) , parent ( P < 0.001 ) , and staff ( P < 0.001 ) . There was no significant difference in mean and median pain scores between the two groups on suturing the wounds , as perceived by patient , parent and staff . There was a significantly higher number of " failed " anaesthetics ( pain scores 8 - 10 ) in the lignocaine group ( P < 0.01 ) . On direct question ing the overall procedure was considered acceptable by 84.5 % of parents in the AC group compared with 61 % of parents in the lignocaine group ( P < 0.01 ) . There were no significant complications in either group . CONCLUSIONS --Topical AC should be considered the local anaesthetic of first choice for suturing appropriate children 's lacerations
All 4 faces pain scales were found to be adequately supported by psychometric data .
When given a choice between faces scales , children preferred the WBFPRS .
Confounding of pain intensity with affect caused by use of smiling and crying anchor faces is a disadvantage of the WBFPRS .
: For clinical use , we found no grounds to switch from 1 faces scale to another when 1 of the scales is in use .
CONTEXT : Numerous faces scales have been developed for the measurement of  pain intensity in children .
It remains unclear whether any one of the faces scales is better for a particular purpose with regard to validity , reliability , feasibility , and preference .
OBJECTIVES : To summarize and systematic ally review faces pain scales most commonly used to obtain self-report of pain intensity in children for evaluation of reliability and validity and to compare the scales for preference and utility .