Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

[Intramuscular injections in children].

C Hünseler¹, B Roth, R Pothmann

¹Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinderheilkunde, Universität zu Köln. christoph.huenseler@kksk.de

Schmerz (Berlin, Germany)

|March 9, 2004

Summary

Intramuscular injections in children for medications like analgesics are often unnecessary and painful. Safer, effective alternatives like oral or nasal routes are available and recommended by global health organizations.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Navigating Organizational Challenges and Formal Support for Afghan Refugee Women in California Amid Covid-19 and the Taliban's Takeover.

International journal of social determinants of health and health services·2025

Same author

The benefit of adopting Microultrasound in the prostate cancer imaging pathway: A lesion-by-lesion analysis: Biopsies prostatiques guidée par micro-échographie, quel bénéfice ? Une analyse lésion par lésion.

Progres en urologie : journal de l'Association francaise d'urologie et de la Societe francaise d'urologie·2023

Same author

Prevalence of overweight, obesity, and early adiposity rebound in nursery school children in southeastern France.

Archives de pediatrie : organe officiel de la Societe francaise de pediatrie·2022

Same author

WITHDRAWN: The benefit of adopting Microultrasound in the prostate cancer imaging pathway : A lesion-by-lesion analysis

Progres en urologie : journal de l'Association francaise d'urologie et de la Societe francaise d'urologie·2022

Same author

Surgical site infections: guidance for elective surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic - international recommendations and clinical experience.

The Journal of hospital infection·2021

Same author

[Prioritization of intensive medical treatment places - Concept proposal].

Der Chirurg; Zeitschrift fur alle Gebiete der operativen Medizen·2021

Area of Science:

Pediatric Medicine
Pharmacology
Pain Management

Background:

Intramuscular injections remain a common method for administering vaccines, premedications, and analgesics to children.
This route is associated with severe pain, increased complication risks, and unpredictable drug absorption.
Alternative administration routes are often available.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the necessity and safety of intramuscular injections in pediatric care.
To highlight the availability and benefits of alternative drug administration routes for children.

Main Methods:

Review of current pediatric injection practices.
Comparison of intramuscular route with alternative routes (rectal, oral, intranasal) for pharmacologic agents.
Analysis of pain, complications, and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic predictability.

Main Results:

Intramuscular injections in children cause severe pain and unpredictable drug effects.
Equivalent or superior alternative routes (oral, rectal, intranasal) exist for many medications.
The use of intramuscular injections for analgesics and premedications in children is largely obsolete, except in emergencies.

Conclusions:

Intramuscular injections for non-emergency pediatric medication are outdated.
Prioritizing alternative routes aligns with World Health Organization (WHO) and International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) guidelines.
Transitioning away from routine intramuscular injections can improve pediatric patient outcomes and comfort.

Related Experiment Videos