Management of neuropathic pain in children: Guidelines for good clinical practice

Neuropathic pain exists in children and its incidence is often underestimated due to the lack of knowledge on the existence and the diagnosis of this pain. Although the semiological characteristics can be compared to those of the adult (allodynia, hypoesthesia, burning and stabbing sensations), their etiology often differs, and pain treatments are more limited because of a lack of pharmacological data and the absence of clinical studies. Therapeutic management is sometimes insufficient and requires better knowledge of this entity. Based on the June 2009 recommendations of the French Agency for Food and Drug Safety (Afssaps) (drug therapy in acute and chronic pain in children), this article presents a review of the data available in the literature on the subject, taking into account expert opinion and proposing clinical recommendations of good practice for the recognition and the treatment of neuropathic pain in children. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.