What Special Considerations Should Be Made When Treating Pain In Children?

— -- Question: What Special Considerations Should Be Made When Treating Pain In Children?

Answer: The considerations of treating pain in the child are, as is in the case in the baby, what the source of the pain is in terms in the body, what drugs are safe to use, and in what dosages are those drugs safe to use in treating the pain. But an additional consideration in the child is the emotional state of the child; what effect does the emotional state of the child have on their report and description of pain, and conversely, what effect does the pain have on their emotional state? These are very important considerations, and taking the first into account first, the child's emotional state will have a direct impact on how they perceive their pain, and what magnitude of pain that they're having. So that a child who is emotionally fragile or upset will amplify their report of pain. And conversely, pain, of course, will have an obvious emotional effect on the child in their ability to interact with their family, with their peers at school, and even their ability to attend school.

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