[Pain in the neonatal period. I -- physiological aspects, causes, response, diagnosis and long-term effects of neonatal pain].

UNLABELLED

Entering of high-tech methods used in the treatment of premature infants carries the risk of increased invasiveness which causes the pain and stress in them. The aim of this literature review is to present the achievements in the study of neonatal pain, causes and responses to it, the short-term effects on their status and their later development, as well as the ways of pain's assessment. The newborn after 26-30 weeks of gestation has functionally mature pain receptor apparatus. Numerous invasive procedures cause in the prematurely born baby psycho-physiological abnormalities (changes in heart rate, breathing, blood pressure and oxygen saturation) and behavioral abnormalities (facial expression, motion activity of the body and extremities, sleep disturbances, characteristics of crying). The last mentioned are basis for creating a rating scale for procedural and prolonged pain. Future studies are aimed at creating an universal scales.

CONCLUSION

At the time of intensive treatment, the premature infant is under the adverse effects of acute or repeated pain incentives. They worsen the status, prolong the hospital stay and influence the later neurological development and outcome of the premature infant. In everyday clinical practice, prevention of pain, establishing its severity and its evaluation reduce its negative effects on the newborn.