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Are there long-term consequences of pain in newborn or very young infants?

Gayle Giboney Page1

  • 1G ayle G iboney P age is an associate professor and the Independence Foundation Chair in Nursing Education in the School of Nursing at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Journal of Perinatal Education
|February 3, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Early infant pain and stress can cause lasting physiological changes. These early experiences impact the central nervous system and stress responses later in life.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal physiology
  • Developmental psychology
  • Pediatric medicine

Background:

  • Infant pain assessment and management present unique challenges.
  • Early life experiences significantly shape long-term health trajectories.
  • The consequences of neonatal pain and stress extend beyond immediate effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review evidence on the long-term physiological consequences of early pain and stress in infants.
  • To highlight the lasting impact of neonatal painful insults on neurodevelopment and stress systems.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing physiological studies on infant pain and stress.
  • Analysis of research on the central nervous system, neuroendocrine, and immune system responses.
  • Synthesis of evidence regarding long-term outcomes of early life adversity.

Main Results:

  • Painful experiences in early infancy can lead to significant and enduring physiological changes.
  • Neonatal pain insults are associated with alterations in the central nervous system.
  • Long-lasting changes in neuroendocrine and immune system responsiveness to stress are observed.

Conclusions:

  • Early life pain and stress have profound and lasting physiological consequences for infants.
  • These early experiences can alter the developing nervous, endocrine, and immune systems, affecting adult stress responses.
  • Understanding these long-term effects is crucial for optimizing infant care and long-term health outcomes.

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