Pediatric Pain Flashcards
When is the nervous system sufficiently developed to process nociception?
Before birth
When is the fetal neocortex present?
20 weeks gestational age
When are pain pathways to brainstem and thalamus completely myelinated by?
30 weeks gestational age
Why do preterm infants have an exaggerated response to pain?
Due to delay in neurologic maturation
How do children often express pain?
Verbal (crying, screaming, whining, or gasping)
Behavioral (biting, hitting, or clinging)
Non verbal (frowning or wincing)
What are the barriers to pain assessment in children?
Fear, previous pain experiences, and unpredictability
What are the common assessment tools for pediatric pain?
Neonatal infant pain scale
FLACC
Wong-Baker faces scale
VAS scale
Chronic pain assessment scale
What does the FLACC scale stand for?
Face
Legs
Activity
Cry
Consolability
What percentage of children have chronic pain?
15-20% (girls more common)
