Minimizing the discomfort of neonatal intensive care

Abstract

Pain is an ubiquitous experience in immature infants receiving intensive care and is an important, but not sole, source of stress among these babies. Pain and stress appear to have an effect on behaviour and pain response later in life. It has been shown that appropriate analgesia with opiates reduces the pain response and that this might have a beneficial effect on the child's response to pain later in life. Although there is insufficient evidence at the present time to be certain of the beneficial effects of analgesia/sedation, opiates appear to be safe, and current best evidence supports the use of continuous infusions of diamorphine or morphine during neonatal intensive care. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.