Pediatric pain management.

It is now recognized that from the newborn period onwards, children are capable of experiencing pain. This includes the premature infant. The challenge for healthcare providers is to incorporate methods of pain assessment and treatment into their daily practices. The child's understanding of pain closely follows the cognitive and behavioral model developed by Jean Piaget. Based on these developmental stages, pain assessment measures have been developed. Pharmacologic advances have accompanied this improved understanding of infant, child, and adolescent psychology. While acute pain accounts for the majority of children's experiences, recurrent/chronic pain states do occur (e.g. sickle cell related and neuropathic) and can be effectively treated.