Pain in pediatric intensive care patients.

Recognizing and treating pain should be among the foremost concerns of every health care team. A prerequisite to adequate pain control is evaluation of the pain and of the efficacy of treatments used. Pain can be difficult to recognize in intubated patients on artificial ventilation. a number of scales to be used by the patient or an observer are available, although none are specifically designed for intensive care patients. self-evaluation of pain is dificult in intensive care patients but remains the method of choice. Treatment should be selected and adjusted based on the type and severity of the pain. Drugs and nondrug treatments should be used in conjunction. Narcotics and acetominophen (paracetamol) are the most widely used analgesics. A special place should be reserved for topical local anesthetics to be applied to the skin and for locoregional anesthesia.