Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Electrophysiological Measurements and Analysis of Nociception in Human Infants
09:18

Electrophysiological Measurements and Analysis of Nociception in Human Infants

Published on: December 20, 2011

The social context of neonatal pain

Patrick J McGrath1, Anita M Unruh

  • 1Department of Psychology, Life Sciences Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4J1, Canada.

Clinics in Perinatology
|October 17, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Neonatal pain management has improved due to research and advocacy, but procedural pain and pain in cognitively impaired infants remain challenges. Further research into the social context of neonatal pain is needed.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal care
  • Pain management
  • Social sciences

Background:

  • Neonatal pain is increasingly recognized as a significant issue.
  • Pain management practices in neonates have evolved over the past two decades.
  • Advocacy, particularly by parents, has driven changes in neonatal pain care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review advancements in neonatal pain management.
  • To identify persistent challenges in neonatal pain care.
  • To highlight the lack of research on the social context of neonatal pain.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of changes in neonatal pain management over 20 years.
  • Analysis of factors influencing changes in practice.
  • Identification of areas requiring further research.

Main Results:

  • Significant improvements in the standard of care for neonatal pain have been observed.
  • Procedural pain in neonates remains a persistent issue.
  • Pain management for cognitively impaired neonates has not been adequately addressed.
  • Research investigating the social context of neonatal pain is notably absent.

Conclusions:

  • While neonatal pain management has advanced, critical areas require further attention.
  • Addressing procedural pain and pain in vulnerable neonates is essential.
  • Future research should explore the influence of the social context on neonatal pain and its management.

More Related Videos

Electrophysiological Measurement of Noxious-evoked Brain Activity in Neonates Using a Flat-tip Probe Coupled to Electroencephalography06:29

Electrophysiological Measurement of Noxious-evoked Brain Activity in Neonates Using a Flat-tip Probe Coupled to Electroencephalography

Published on: November 29, 2017

A Preterm Rat Model for Pain Studies01:37

A Preterm Rat Model for Pain Studies

Published on: February 9, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Nociception01:44

Nociception

Nociception—the ability to feel pain—is essential for an organism’s survival and overall well-being. Noxious stimuli such as piercing pain from a sharp object, heat from an open flame, or contact with corrosive chemicals are first detected by sensory receptors, called nociceptors, located on nerve endings. Nociceptors express ion channels that convert noxious stimuli into electrical signals. When these signals reach the brain via sensory neurons, they are perceived as pain. Thus, pain helps the...
Blood and Nerve Supply to the Bones01:29

Blood and Nerve Supply to the Bones

Bones are dynamic organs that require a rich supply of oxygen and nutrients. Around 5% to 10% of the cardiac output supplies blood to the bones. A typical long bone has three main sources: the nutrient artery, the metaphyseal and epiphyseal arteries, and the periosteal arteries.
Nutrient Artery
The nutrient artery is the main blood vessel that enters the diaphysis via the nutrient foramen. While most long bones have only one nutrient foramen, large bones, such as the femur, may have two. This...
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia01:29

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia

Epidural anesthetics are administered in the fat-filled epidural space, the outermost part of the spinal canal. This technique is commonly employed for pain management and anesthesia during lower abdomen and pelvis surgeries or labor and delivery.
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...
Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

Analgesia and Pain Management

Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
Pain01:20

Pain

Pain serves as a critical warning signal that alerts the body to potential or actual harm. When mechanical pressure on the skin is intense, such as from a sharp pinch, the sensation transitions from touch to pain. Similarly, extreme temperatures, like a hot pot handle, convert the sensation of heat into pain. Pain can also result from overstimulation of other senses, such as blinding light, loud noise, or the intense heat from habañero peppers. This ability to sense pain is essential for...
Socioemotional Development during Infancy01:30

Socioemotional Development during Infancy

Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
Stella Chess...