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Electrophysiological Measurements and Analysis of Nociception in Human Infants
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Electrophysiological Measurements and Analysis of Nociception in Human Infants

Published on: December 20, 2011

Treatment of acute pediatric pain

F Wickham Kraemer1

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. KRAEMER@email.chop.edu

Seminars in Pediatric Neurology
|December 25, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric neurologists can effectively manage acute pain in children using various medications like NSAIDs and opioids. This review explores pain physiology and drug mechanisms to guide multimodal treatment strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Pain Management
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Acute pain is a common challenge for pediatric neurologists.
  • A variety of medications, including NSAIDs, opioids, and adjuvant analgesics, are available for pain management.
  • Understanding pain physiology is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the physiology of pain in children.
  • To compare the pharmacologic mechanisms and properties of available pain medications.
  • To provide a framework for multimodal pain treatment in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of pain physiology.
  • Comparative analysis of analgesic medications (NSAIDs, opioids, antidepressants, antiepileptics).
  • Synthesis of information to develop a treatment framework.

Main Results:

  • Detailed review of pain pathways and neurotransmission.
  • Comparison of drug classes based on mechanism of action, efficacy, and side effect profiles.
  • Identification of key considerations for multimodal therapy selection.

Conclusions:

  • Effective management of pediatric acute pain requires a comprehensive understanding of pain physiology.
  • Multimodal treatment strategies, utilizing a range of pharmacologic agents, are essential.
  • This framework aids clinicians in selecting appropriate medications for optimal pain relief in children.

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