FLACC Behavioral Pain Assessment Scale: a comparison with the child's self-report

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nursing
• Pain Management
• Clinical Assessment Tools

Background:

• Accurate pain assessment in children is crucial for effective management.
• The Faces, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability (FLACC) Behavioral Pain Assessment Scale is a common tool.
• Further validation is needed for diverse pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the construct validity of the FLACC scale in children aged 3-7 years.
• To compare FLACC scores with children's self-reported pain using the FACES scale.
• To determine age-specific validity of the FLACC scale.

Main Methods:

• Thirty pediatric surgical patients aged 3-7 years were observed.
• Pain intensity was assessed 20 ± 2 hours post-surgery.
• FLACC scores were assigned by nurse investigators, and children completed the FACES pain scale.

Main Results:

• Significant positive correlations were found between FLACC and FACES scores in the overall sample.
• The FLACC scale demonstrated strong validity for children aged 5-7 years.
• Correlation was not significant for children younger than 5 years.

Conclusions:

• The FLACC Behavioral Pain Assessment Scale is a valid tool for assessing pain in children aged 5-7 years.
• Age is a factor in the reliability of the FLACC scale.
• Findings support the continued use and validation of the FLACC scale in pediatric pain assessment.