Acute and Chronic Pain Management in Children

Pediatric acute and chronic pain are significant issues with short- and long-term consequences across a range of domains (e.g., family, social, academic, physical) with a complex interplay of physiological, psychological, and social factors. The authors describe how treatment for pain is especially critical given mounting evidence that even brief routine acute pain can have a range of immediate and lasting repercussions. Given poor or mixed results from pharmaceutical approaches and mounting concerns of opioid addiction, the chapter surveys the field of behavioral pain management approaches. Evidence-based psychological interventions are reviewed aimed at minimizing or eliminating children’s acute pain, and improving children’s functioning in the context of chronic pain. Preparation, distraction, relaxation, hypnosis, and physical approaches are typical treatments for managing children’s acute pain. The most common therapeutic approaches in the pediatric chronic pain literature are individual components or packages grounded in cognitive behavioral or acceptance and commitment therapy frameworks. An evidence-based practice perspective highlights the importance of clinician expertise in applying the available empirical findings to the unique context of the patient (e.g., coping, developmental level), setting, and situation.