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Opioid analgesia to prevent paediatric post-traumatic stress after injury: a scoping review

Emma S J McNulty1, Justin A Kenardy1

  • 1School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.

Psychology, Health & Medicine
|March 3, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Opioid pain relief after traumatic injury in children may reduce the risk of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). However, current evidence is premature to conclude that opioids offer protection against PTSS in pediatric patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric trauma care
  • Psychotraumatology
  • Pain management

Background:

  • Traumatic injuries frequently impact children, potentially leading to chronic post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS).
  • Opioid analgesia is a common emergency treatment for pediatric trauma, with emerging evidence suggesting a potential role in mitigating PTSS risk.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct a scoping review of existing literature on the relationship between opioid use and PTSS in injured children.
  • To map the current research landscape and identify gaps to inform future research directions.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic searches of two databases identified 919 records.
  • Six primary studies were included for qualitative review.

Main Results:

  • Five of the included studies indicated that opioids were associated with a reduced risk of PTSS.
  • One study did not report a direct relationship between opioid administration and PTSS outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • The current evidence is insufficient to definitively conclude that opioids protect against PTSS in injured children.
  • Future research should investigate opioids administered within 48 hours post-injury, employ repeated symptom assessments, and control for known risk factors in PTSS models.

Keywords:
Post-traumatic stresschildopioidsprevention

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