Acute pain management in the neonate

Acute pain management in the neonatal period remains a challenge for the clinician. Responses to pain and analgesic intervention are developmentally influenced and cannot be directly extrapolated from the older child. Successful and safe intervention will minimize acute physiological and behavioural distress, reduce pain scores and potentially improve short- and long-term outcomes. This requires an understanding of the physiology and pharmacology in this age group alongside a multi-modal approach to treatment using both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions.