Pain relief in children Management of pain in children is often inadequate and there is no evidence to support the idea that pain is less intense in neonates and young children due to their developing nervous system.
Children tend to receive less analgesia than adults and the drugs are often discontinued sooner.
Furthermore, it is simply not true that potent analgesics are dangerous when used in children because of the risks of side effects and addiction. As with all pain, successful management depends upon the identification and treatment of all the factors which contribute, in particular fear and anxiety. In this context, careful explanations to child and parents can be helpful. A major problem in treating pain in children is associated with the difficulty in assessment Assessment presents a major challenge, especially in those patients who cannot explain how they feel and who cannot understand the relationship between the treatment and the pain. The worst response is to ignore the presence of pain and the best is to assess the pain and the patients response to treatment as thoroughly as possible.