Pain in pediatric intensive care patients.

Recognizing and treating pain should be among the foremost concerns of ever y health care team. A prerequisite to adequate pain control is evaluation o f the pain and of the efficacy of treatments used. Pain can be difficult to recognize in intubated patients on artificial ventilation. a number of sca les to be used by the patient or an observer are available, although none a re specifically designed for intensive care patients. self-evaluation of pa in is dificult in intensive care patients but remains the method of choice. Treatment should be selected and adjusted based on the type and severity o f the pain. Drugs and nondrug treatments should be used in conjunction. Nar cotics and acetominophen (paracetamol) are the most widely used analgesics. A special place should be reserved for topical local anesthetics to be app lied to the skin and for locoregional anesthesia.