Many children suffer needlessly The cry of a child in pain is heart wrenching to physicians and parents alike. In the past, many physicians were hesitant to use standard pain medications in children for fear the medications were too strong. Others believed the infant nervous system was too immature to feel pain. An estimated 1.5 million children have surgery each year in the United States and many of them receive inadequate pain relief. Pain medications are called analgesics.
Mild pain is handled with nonnarcotic analgesics like acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
Mild to moderate pain is managed with weak narcotic analgesics such as codeine, while moderate to severe pain is managed with stronger narcotics such as morphine. When pain medicines are taken for pain and not for pleasure, there is little risk of developing addiction. Administering inadequate doses, for fear of an addiction, is not sound practice and actually can lead to problems. Pain medications can be delivered by mouth, by intravenous catheter, through the skin or through special catheters placed in the epidural space or limb to treat an isolated area. All types of pain management are available for children regardless of their age or size.