Pain evaluation in pediatrics

During the last ten years, increasing evidence has shown that pediatric pain measurement is feasible. At present time, there are behavioral methods, physiological responses and self-assessment tools which allow us to measure accurately pediatric pain. The usefulness of pain measurement has been established for detecting unexpected situations where pain is present, for enhancing the diagnosis and for establishing the efficacy of therapeutic measures. However, it is mandatory to validate each method in the clinical setting where they will be used; this will permit to avoid the socio-cultural variations which might lessen its usefulness. The measurement of pain must be suitable to the children's age and to their cognitive development level. While the behavioral and physiological methods are appropriated for children without verbal language, the self-assessment tools are of choice for children older than four years. Pain should be routinely measured in all presumed situations where it could appear.