Investigation of pain during the treatment of children with malignant tumors

Objective To explore the occurrence of pain in the treatment of children with malignant tumors and their perception and cognition of pain, and provide a reference for strengthening pain management and formulating clinical nursing measures. Methods Totally 179 children with malignant tumors admitted in the daytime wards of a ClassⅢ Grade A children's hospital in Beijing from June 2017 to October 2018 were selected and investigated with the self-made pain questionnaire for children with malignant tumors. Totally 179 questionnaires were distributed and collected in this study, accounting for an effective recovery rate of 100%. Results The incidence of pain in the 179 children was 98.3% (176/179) . The severest pain score was (5.41±2.09) , and the average pain score was (3.95±1.66) . Pain involved the abdomen, lower limbs, oral mucosa, bones and joints, waist, back, upper limbs, chest, perianal mucosa, neck, head and face, perineum, ear, nose, throat and eyes. Totally 83.8% (150/179) of the children informed the medical staff in time when the pain occurred, hoping to get analgesic treatment; 35.2% of the children were willing to receive analgesics. In the 179 Children, the children believed that 84.6% of the pain was related to the treatment procedure; 46.6% (82/179) was related to the disease itself; and the most unbearable treatment procedure was lumbar puncture/ intrathecal injection. Conclusions Children with malignant tumors have a higher incidence and severity of pain during the treatment of the disease, and the pain is widespread. Most children hope to receive analgesic treatment, but they do not have enough knowledge about analgesics. Medical staff should pay attention to the pain of children with malignant tumors, strengthen pain management, and take measures to reduce and even avoid treatment-related pain. Key words: Neoplasms; Children; Pain; Malignant; Investigation