Assessment of Pediatric Pain: An Overview

Abstract

Progress in the assessment of pediatric pain has been limited by the subjective nature of pain as well as by the failure of many instruments to conform to standard psychometric criteria. An overview is presented of subjective, behavioral, and physiological procedures that are practical for use by the pediatric nurse. Included are assessment procedures that have been empirically tested, as well as those that are as yet untested but clearly could be useful. Attention is given to the importance of the child's developmental stage in pain assessment and guidelines are provided that bear on future progress in the area of pediatric pain assessment.