SELF-DISCOVERY // SELF-AWARENESS // SELF-WORTH // CREATIVE EXPRESSION // SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT & COLLABORATION
Our definition of chronic pain.
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At Bowtie Kids we define chronic pain as: An unbearable constant physical pain that limits and interferes with the childhood experience.
Pain may be described as a feeling of hurt or strong discomfort and is the body's way of sending a message to the brain that an injury has occurred (such as surgery). Pain medicine blocks these messages or reduces their effect on the brain. |
Not every child experiences pain during a hospital stay, but if it does occur, reading this information should help you:
• LEARN WHY PAIN CONTROL IS IMPORTANT FOR RECOVERY AS WELL AS COMFORT
• PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN HELPING TO MANAGE YOUR CHILD'S PAIN
If you think of other questions or have concerns not addressed here, please be sure and ask your nurses or doctors.
• PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN HELPING TO MANAGE YOUR CHILD'S PAIN
If you think of other questions or have concerns not addressed here, please be sure and ask your nurses or doctors.
Measuring your child's painYour doctors and nurses will rate pain on a scale from 0 to 10 (0 being no pain, 10 being the worst pain that can be imagined). Older children can understand this scale, but younger children can use cartoon faces or will be observed frequently for behavioral and physical signs of pain or discomfort.
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Explain to your child that each face is for a person who feels happy because he has no pain (hurt) or sad because he has some or a lot of pain. Face 0 is very happy because he doesn't hurt at all. Face 2 hurts just a little bit. Face 4 hurts a little more. Face 6 hurts even more. Face 8 hurts a whole lot. Face 10 hurts as much as you can imagine, although you don't have to be crying to feel this bad. Ask your child to choose the face that best describes how he is feeling. Rating scale is recommended for people age 3 years and older.
