Hospitalized children's descriptions of their experiences with postsurgical pain relieving methods

Multidimensional tools: application of pain quality cards in children

“…The study results demonstrated that all children in this study used at least one characteristic method of pain relief, which is distraction, besides receiving the nurses' help for self-care and their parents' presence (15) .…”

Community Parents' Use of Non-Pharmacological Techniques for Childhood Pain Management

“…This distinctive feature of the sample in this study allows for increased generalizability to parents in communities across the United States as compared to previously mentioned studies, which focused on the non-pharmacological techniques used in pediatric medical settings (e.g., He et al, 2006;Kankkunen et al, 2003;Pölkki et al, 2002). The common techniques reported by parents in this study include providing comfort to their child, applying ice to the pain location, and providing the child with a massage, which are similar to some of the techniques used for children in postoperative settings, including thermal regulation and massage (Idvall et al, 2005;Pölkki et al, 2003). However, some of the techniques reported in the postoperative setting are unique to that setting as compared to those reported in the community sample, such as watching TV, thinking about something else, talking, or reading (He et al, 2006;Pölkki et al, 2003).…”

“…The common techniques reported by parents in this study include providing comfort to their child, applying ice to the pain location, and providing the child with a massage, which are similar to some of the techniques used for children in postoperative settings, including thermal regulation and massage (Idvall et al, 2005;Pölkki et al, 2003). However, some of the techniques reported in the postoperative setting are unique to that setting as compared to those reported in the community sample, such as watching TV, thinking about something else, talking, or reading (He et al, 2006;Pölkki et al, 2003). These techniques fall under the general method of distracting the child from the pain, which was not a commonly reported technique used by parents in this community cohort.…”

“…The results from these studies may not generalize to parents in the United States, and are specific to postoperative pain. Common techniques used in previous studies include cognitive-behavioral techniques such as distraction, which involved watching TV, thinking about something else, talking, or reading (He et al, 2006;Pölkki, Pietilä, & Vehviläinen-Julkunen, 2003). Several children also reported using relaxation, such as sleeping and resting, to help reduce their postoperative pain.…”

“…Several children also reported using relaxation, such as sleeping and resting, to help reduce their postoperative pain. The physical techniques commonly reported included positioning, massage, and thermal regulation, such as eating ice cream and drinking water (Idvall et al, 2005;Pölkki et al, 2003). The common techniques used in the emotional support category were having someone present (He et al, 2006), positive reinforcement, preparatory information, and assistance with daily activities (Idvall et al, 2005).…”