Pain is a complex response to injury. It comes in several forms, has many causes, and its intensity often fluctuates. Because of the variety of options for treating pain, an accurate assessment of your child’s pain is essential. It will provide a starting point for implementing and evaluating pain relieving strategies.
As wounds heal or as disease progresses, pain relief needs can change. Assessment is a continuing process, the goal being to relieve pain as quickly, effectively, and consistently as possible.
Multiple assessments are also done to ensure that the pain relief strategy is working. If not, it will be adjusted until it does work.
These issues are addressed in more detail in the “Assessment” section of this site.