Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Jul-Sep;47(3):177-185.
doi: 10.1097/TME.0000000000000572. Epub 2025 Jul 31.

Pain Management in Pediatric Trauma: A Multidisciplinary, Patient-Centered Approach

Haili Gregory  1 , Kylee N Wiemer, Daniel B Park
Affiliations

Pain Management in Pediatric Trauma: A Multidisciplinary, Patient-Centered Approach

Haili Gregory et al. Adv Emerg Nurs J. 2025 Jul-Sep.

Abstract

Pain in pediatric trauma patients is difficult to assess and manage, with far-reaching consequences if not treated adequately. How we as a healthcare team approach treating pain in pediatric trauma patients can be the difference between achieving meaningful recovery versus unintentionally causing fear, anxiety, and psychological discomfort for our patients. Emergency medicine and trauma teams need to be well-versed in the many treatment options of pediatric pain to both obtain a thorough trauma exam as well as maintain the patient's comfort in a safe and effective manner. This article aims to discuss the many advantages of a multidisciplinary approach to managing pain in pediatric trauma patients, including the use of pharmacotherapy and non-pharmacotherapy-based treatment approaches.

Keywords: multidisciplinary patient care; pediatric emergency medicine; pediatric pain; pediatric trauma.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure:The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.

References

    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention NCfHS. (2024). National Vital Statistics System, Mortality 2018-2022 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released in 2024. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 2018-2022, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed May 20, 2024.
    1. Bach J. A., Leskovan J. J., Scharschmidt T., Boulger C., Papadimos T. J., Russell S., Bahner D. P., Stawicki S. P. (2017). The right team at the right time—Multidisciplinary approach to multi-trauma patient with orthopedic injuries. International Journal of Critical Illness and Injury Science, 7(1), 32–37. doi:10.4103/IJCIIS.IJCIIS_5_17 - DOI
    1. Ballard A., Khadra C., Adler S., Doyon-Trottier E., Le May S. (2018). Efficacy of the Buzzy® device for pain management of children during needle-related procedures: A systematic review protocol. Systematic Reviews, 7(1), 78. doi:10.1186/s13643-018-0738-1 - DOI
    1. Berde C. B. & Sethna N. F. (2002). Analgesics for the treatment of pain in children. New England Journal of Medicine, 347(14), 1094–1103. doi:10.1056/NEJMra012626 - DOI
    1. Cavicchiolo M. E., Daverio M., Battajon N., Frigo A. C., Lago P. (2022). A single dose of oral sucrose is enough to control pain during venipuncture: A randomized controlled trial. Frontiers in Pain Research, 3, 888076. doi:10.3389/fpain.2022.888076 - DOI