Pain Management in Curative and Palliative Clinical Settings for Pediatric Cancer Patients
摘要
Pain is generally understood as an unpleasant sensory experience, a physical phenomenon. However, the International Association for the Study of Pain definition of pain (“an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience…”) suggests a much more complex entity. Pain does consist of a physical component but also an emotional and perhaps a spiritual and social component as well. There are few pain diagnoses that embody more the multifactorial nature of pain than cancer pain, particularly for the pediatric patient. Given the complexities of pediatric cancer pain, such as the role of caregivers, and an uncertain prognosis, a multifaceted plan is essential to achieve optimal management. This multifaceted plan should ideally be formulated and enacted by a multidisciplinary team including, at minimum, a pain management specialist and a psychologist with expertise in pediatric pain management. This chapter will highlight the various non-pharmacological approaches to pediatric cancer pain management.