title: Pediatric Pain Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation.
abstract: Assessment provides the foundation for diagnosis, selection of treatments, and evaluation of treatment effectiveness for pediatric patients with acute, recurrent, and chronic pain. Extensive research has resulted in the availability of a number of valid, reliable, and recommended tools for assessing children's pain. Yet, evidence suggests children's pain is still not optimally measured or treated. In this article, we provide an overview of pain evaluation for premature neonates to adolescents. The difference between pain assessment and measurement is highlighted; and the key steps to follow are identified. Information about self-report and behavioral pain assessment tools appropriate for children are provided; and factors to be considered when choosing a specific one are outlined. Finally, we preview future approaches to personalized pain medicine in pediatrics that include harnessing the use of potential digital health technologies and genomics.
authors.affiliation: Acute Pain Management Program, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; UCONN Center for Advancing Management of Pain NIH Center of Excellence in Pain Education, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL. Electronic address: RManworren@luriechildrens.org.
authors.forename: Renee C B
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Manworren
authors.affiliation: The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stinson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis*; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement