Pain management

Throughout the hospital

At Dayton Children’s every patient is assessed for pain and pain management remains a priority.

A child's pain creates stress for the child and the parents. Our staff will check a child's pain regularly and talk to the child and the parents about their child's pain. We believe that no child should suffer if his or her pain can be relieved.

How we work with families to relieve their child's pain

• Put together a pain management plan
• Medication is available in many forms--liquids, pills, injections (shots) into the vein, muscle or spine (epidurals), suppositories or patches
• Repositioning
• Rest
• Distraction (playing, videos, music, pacifiers, rocking, holding)
• Heat or cold
• Massage

Pain medication services at Dayton Children's include:

• Topical numbing agents
• Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). This is a way for your child to push a button and receive pain medication when he or she feels pain.
• Epidural catheterization (a way to receive pain medication by pump through a small tube in the back)
• Sedation and non-narcotic/narcotic medications to lessen pain

There is a 25-person task force that includes people from all areas of the hospital. Their focus is on optimum pain management during medical procedures. Their recommendations are expencted to be implemented in June 2008.

Newborn intensive care unit (NICU) pain

The goal in the regional level III newborn intensive care unit is to audit 100 percent of infants who have had surgery for post-operative pain. In fiscal year 2005-2006, NICU post-operative pain management protocols for major surgeries (intrathoracic or intra-abdominal procedures) were implemented in the majority of cases.

Overall, the NICU post-operative pain management protocols are used regularly, patient pain scores are fairly low or there is evidence of continued interventions to manage pain. The protocols are reviewed every 1-2 years for appropriateness of practice.