Pain Management Measures

A child's pain creates stress for the child and the parents. Pain management is a high priority at Dayton Children’s. We believe that no child should suffer if his or her pain can be relieved. Our staff will check a child’s pain regularly and will work with the child and parents on effective ways to reduce the pain.

How do 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

Topical numbing agents
Patient-controlled analgesia. (A way for your child to push a button and receive pain medication when 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

Regional Level III Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) pain management

The goal in the regional level III newborn intensive care unit is to audit 100 percent of infants who have had surgery for postoperative pain. Post-operative pain management protocols for major surgeries (intrathoracic or intra-abdominal procedures) are followed. The result has been fairly low patient pain scores.