Acute and Regional Pain Service
Dedicated to treating your child's pain.
Acute and Regional Pain Service
The Acute and Regional Pain Service is a dedicated team of physicians and advance-practice nurses who specialize in managing pain in infants, children and young adults who are hospitalized or having surgery and need specialized pain management.
Surgeons and pediatricians are able to care for pain in many patients. In some cases, more specialized pain treatment is needed. Most patients we see have undergone surgery, but others have pain caused by illnesses such as cancer, sickle cell disease, extensive burns, arthritis or other medical conditions. Our goal is to reduce pain safely and manage pain medication side effects.
We develop a personalized treatment plan for every patient we see, working closely with surgeons, pediatricians, nurses, child life specialists, psychologists and physical and occupational therapists to manage your child's pain in the most effective way. Although it is not always possible to eliminate all pain, we manage pain so patients can feel as comfortable as possible and sleep restfully at night.
If your child is hospitalized or will undergo an operation, ask your child's care team if the Acute Pain Service might be helpful.
Our Approach to Alleviating Pain
A member of the Acute Pain Services team will evaluate your child and discus various pain treatment options with you and your child. There are several different options for pain control. The specific pain treatment plan will depend on a number of factors, such as your child's medical condition and the nature of his or her pain, and may include:
-
Patient or nurse-controlled analgesia using opioids delivered intravenously (in the vein)
-
Peripheral nerve blocks
-
Peripheral nerve catheters
-
Epidural catheters
-
Management of weaning pain medications
-
Complementary techniques such as aromatherapy, hypnosis and massage therapy
While your child is cared for by the Acute Pain Service, a member of our team will visit your child every day to make sure pain is being managed, to watch for side effects and answer any questions you or your child might have. Your child's nurse can reach us 24 hours a day, seven days per week.
Our Team Approach
All patients seen by the Acute Pain Services team receive care from a board-certified pediatric anesthesiologist who is also board certified in Pain Medicine. Patients are also seen by advance practice nurses certified in pain management nursing.
Our Leadership
Post-Discharge Care
Sometimes, children develop chronic pain that requires care from a specialized team.
Nationwide Children's Hospital's Outpatient Pain Clinic is a multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, psychologists and physical therapists who are dedicated to caring for children, adolescents and young adults with chronic pain on an outpatient basis.
You can discuss with your physician whether your child should be referred to the Outpatient Pain Clinic after he or she is discharged from the hospital.
