Pediatric Pain Management (Week 4--Yazdani)

Question 1

How is pediatric pain different?

Answer 1

Lack of verbal expression

Growth and development (emotional changes that will last forever, growth plates open, could have long-lasting effects)

Ripple effect throughout the family

Superman syndrome (teenagers think they’re invincible then think they’re going to die)

Question 2

Pain assessment in children

Answer 2

Medical staff report

Parent report

Observational scales

Physiologic parameters

Self report“gold standard” if patient can report what is going on

Question 3

Physiological parameters for pain assessment in children

Answer 3

Blood pressure (elevated systolic and/or diastolic)

Heart rate (tachycardia)

Pupil size (enlarged)

More useful for severe cases of acute pain

Question 4

What is the point of pain medication in kids (a lot of the time)?

Answer 4

To allow them to be able to do physical therapy

Because if they can do PT, they can function more normally even if pain is stil there

Question 5

ICU psychosis

Answer 5

If you have severe sleep deprivation and no REM sleep (due to noise in ICU), can become psychotic and not remember where you are, who your mom is, etc

Question 6

Thorazine

Answer 6

Medication that can make you sleep for 3 days…

Question 7

“Air hunger”

Answer 7

Feeling of not being able to beathe

In this case, patient’s lungs filled with osteosarcoma

Question 8

Problem with opioid use in teenagers

Answer 8

Opioids are metabolized quickly in teenagers so don’t have an effect for as long