Adults with childhood-onset disabilities, particularly those with central nervous system impairment, commonly experience pain. Because many such individuals have difficulties in communication, caregivers and medical professionals must identify and interpret non-verbal behaviors as indicators of pain. This process is challenging and can lead to poor outcomes through delayed or incorrect diagnosis and treatment. Most research in the evaluation of pain in individuals with neurologic impairment has focused on the pediatric population, and evidence-based guidelines do not exist for adults. The purpose of this paper is to review current recommendations for pain assessment in adults with communication impairment. This approach includes guidance for history-taking, pharmacologic review, physical examination, and the judicious use of laboratory and imaging tests. Finally, we discuss adult-specific diagnoses to consider when evaluating pain in adults with childhood-onset disabilities and communication difficulties.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.