EFFECT OF NONSUCROSE SWEET TASTING SOLUTION ON NEONATAL HEEL PRICK RESPONSES

A substance commercially described as 'sugar free,' used as a sweetene r for paracetamol suspension, was evaluated on measures of neonatal pa in. Sixty infants were randomly allocated to receive one of four solut ions before heel stab blood sampling: sterile water (placebo); 25 or 5 0% sucrose (weight/volume); and the commercial sweet-tasting solution. There was a significant reduction in crying time and pain score 3 min utes after the painful stimulus in all groups compared with the contro ls. It is concluded that this sweet-tasting solution has analgesic eff ects as potent as those of concentrated sucrose solutions.