Pain and Distress in Inpatient Children According to Child and Mother Perceptions

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the associations between pain experiences in children with respect to self-perceptions and mother perceptions and stress indicators. The study sample included 30 hospitalized children of 6-12 years of age and the children’s mothers. The Faces Scale-Revised, Child Stress Scale, and Inventory of Stress Symptoms for Adults instruments were used. A data analysis is performed via descriptive statistics and correlation analyses. The results showed that higher pain intensities in children was associated with higher stress, psychological and psychophysiological reactions in children. Higher pain intensities in children also increase mothers’ perceptions of pain in children. Seventy percent of the mothers studied in the sample presented clinical indicators of stress. Psychological support during child hospitalization should address the management of pain and stress in children and stress in mothers.

Stress Related to Pediatric Hospitalization and Possible Interventions: An Analysis of the Brazilian Literature

“…Caregivers were evaluated in 12 studies (31%). Four studies evaluated both patients and caregivers (Alcântara, Shioga, Lima, Lage, & Maia, 2013;Carnier, Padovani, Perosa, & Rodrigues, 2015;Jansen, Santos, & Favero, 2010;Matsuda-Castro & Linhares, 2014).…”

“…Interviews were the most commonly used data collection technique (39% of studies), followed by selfreport measures of stress. Though all studies discussed stress during hospitalization, few used specifi c instruments to evaluate stress symptoms (Broering & Crepaldi, 2011;Carnier et al, 2012;Matsuda-Castro & Linhares, 2014) or distress behaviors (Soares & Bomtempo, 2004). Other studies investigated stress through drawing techniques (n = 5) or observation (n = 8; Table 1).…”

“…Children's reactions to hospitalization may include moodiness, fear, trouble eating or sleeping, worry, insecurity, apathy, agitation, anxiety, sadness and guilt (Crepaldi & Hackbarth, 2002;Dib & Abrão, 2013;Hostert et al, 2014;Ribeiro & Pinto, 2009;Sanchez & Ebeling, 2011). Fear is often caused by pain (Silva & Ribeiro, 2000), which is in turn correlated with symptoms of stress (Matsuda-Castro & Linhares, 2014). Children may also worry about being abandoned, or concerned for the well-being of their mothers, who may be placed in uncomfortable accommodations or exposed to the threat of unemployment (Lapa & Souza, 2011).…”

“…The articles reviewed identifi ed stress symptoms in 70% to 80% of interviewed mothers Carnier et al, 2012;Matsuda-Castro & Linhares, 2014). Most participants in these samples were in the Resistance stage of stress -where the body tries to return to equilibrium after coming into contact with a stressor, and manifests stress symptoms as they try to adapt to the problem or eliminate it -with a predominance of psychological symptoms.…”

Non-pharmacological management of neonatal pain: Research and clinical practice in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

“…On the other hand, hospitalization exposes the child to a set of stressful and painful events and causes deprivation of environmental stimuli essential for development and learning. Additionally, hospitalization has a negative impact on the mother, provoking anxiety and stress (Matsuda-Castro & Linhares, 2014;Padovani, Carvalho, Duarte, Martinez, & Linhares, 2009) and depressive symptoms (Padovani et al, 2009). …”