Pain assessment and management in infants with cancer

Abstract

Infants with cancer will experience pain from multiple tissue-damaging procedures associated with diagnostic and therapeutic protocols. Although effective pain management is a universal goal, in infants it is less than optimal. To prevent, minimize or ameliorate procedural pain, it is necessary to understand the conceptualization and consequences of pain in these children, the optimal approaches to assessment of pain in infants, and effective pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions throughout diagnosis and treatment, including palliative care. Collaboration of health professionals and parents is an essential starting point for achieving optimal pain management in this population. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.