Intra-oral administration of sweet-tasting substances and infants' crying response to immunization: a randomized,...

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Pain Management
• Immunology

Background:

• Infant pain responses during routine immunizations are a significant concern for parents and healthcare providers.
• Non-pharmacological methods for pain relief in infants are actively sought.
• Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) and Haemophilus influenzae type B (HIB) vaccinations are common childhood procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the analgesic effects of intra-oral sucrose solutions in infants undergoing DTP and HIB immunizations.
• To compare the effectiveness of different concentrations of sucrose and a placebo in reducing infant crying.
• To determine if the effectiveness of sucrose varies with the number of immunization doses received.

Main Methods:

• Infants receiving their first, second, or third DTP and HIB immunization were studied.
• Four solutions were administered intra-orally: 25% sucrose, 50% sucrose, hydrogenated glucose, and sterile water (placebo).
• The primary outcome measured was the duration of crying within 3 minutes post-injection.

Main Results:

• Infants receiving the placebo cried for the longest duration across all immunization groups.
• The 50% sucrose solution demonstrated a significant reduction in crying compared to the placebo.
• The difference in cry reduction between 50% sucrose and placebo was most pronounced in infants receiving their third immunization.

Conclusions:

• Intra-oral administration of 50% sucrose solution provides effective pain relief for infants beyond the neonatal period.
• Sucrose is a viable non-pharmacological analgesic for reducing crying in response to painful stimuli like vaccinations.
• The analgesic effect of sucrose may be more pronounced with repeated exposure to painful stimuli, as seen in the third immunization group.