REVIEW

Emergency analgesia in the paediatric population. Part I Current practice and perspectives

S C Maurice¹, J J O'Donnell², T F Beattie²

¹ Accident and Emergency Department, Wythenshawe Hospital, Southmoor Road, Wythenshawe, Manchester M23 9LT, UK
² Accident and Emergency Department, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Sciennes Road, Edinburgh EH9 1LF, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr S C Maurice, c/o Accident and Emergency Department, Wythenshawe Hospital, Southmoor Road, Wythenshawe, Manchester M23 9LT, UK;
sue.maurice{at}gw.smuht.nwest.nhs.uk

Children frequently present to the accident and emergency (A&E) department in pain. Most presentations are acute, but children with pain of longer duration also present. Children also often undergo painful procedures in A&E in the process of diagnosis or treatment. These papers review recent literature to examine factors involved in the provision of emergency analgesia in the paediatric population. This will include a discussion of current practice and make recommendations for future management of children's pain and anxiety in the A&E department. Part I: Current practice and perspectives. Part II: Pharmacological methods of paediatric analgesia. Part III: Non-pharmacological methods of pain control and anxiolysis. Part IV: Paediatric sedation in accident and emergency.

Keywords: paediatrics; analgesia

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