Information Provision and Preparation in the Context of Children’s Pain

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 August 2020) | Viewed by 18987

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Pain and Palliative Care, Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
School of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Interests: paediatric pain; information provision; communication; cognitive development; resilience; palliative care and familial functioning

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The experience of pain (acute, surgical or chronic) is likely to be distressing for both the child and their family when it is not well understood. Providing accurate, developmentally appropriate information and skills may assist children in understanding an impending painful medical experience and how to cope with it, reducing distress and subsequent negative memories of that experience. It can help to prepare children to cope with pain and associated distress following surgery, allowing for improved recovery. In the context of chronic and complex pain, information provision about pain, including a biopsychosocial framework and basic concepts of pain neurobiology, may be a first and necessary step before proceeding with an interdisciplinary pain program. There are, however, many questions about how best to share information with youth and their families so that it is understood and improves pain-related outcomes. In an era of social media, it is also valuable to consider how we communicate information relating to children’s pain to the broader public, thereby shaping societal views and expectations about pain.

The goal of this Special Issue in Children is to highlight recent advances in information provision and preparation in the context of children’s pain across a range of settings, using various modalities of communication. We welcome reviews and original research considering novel approaches, as well as identifying gaps in knowledge. We also encourage submissions that explore how social and cultural factors, past pain experiences, and individual differences may impact on information provision and preparation methods and efficacy, in the context of normative or delayed cognitive development.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Tiina Jaaniste
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Information
  • Preparation
  • Communication
  • Pain
  • Pre-operative
  • Surgery
  • Post-discharge
  • Hospitalization
  • Procedural pain
  • Neurobiology
  • Online
  • Child/children
  • Adolescent
  • Parents

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 158 KiB  
Editorial
Information Provision and Preparatory Interventions: Shaping the Lens for Children’s Understanding and Response to Painful Contexts
by Tiina Jaaniste
Children 2021, 8(9), 738; https://doi.org/10.3390/children8090738 - 27 Aug 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1354
Abstract
Any painful or medical experience that we face is viewed from the lens with which we understand and view the experience [...] Full article

Research

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14 pages, 505 KiB  
Article
Something Else Going On? Diagnostic Uncertainty in Children with Chronic Pain and Their Parents
by Vivek Tanna, Lauren C. Heathcote, Marissa S. Heirich, Gillian Rush, Alexandra Neville, Melanie Noel, Joshua W. Pate and Laura E. Simons
Children 2020, 7(10), 165; https://doi.org/10.3390/children7100165 - 4 Oct 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3521
Abstract
Diagnostic uncertainty, the perceived lack of an accurate explanation of the patient’s health problem, remains relatively unstudied in children. This study examined the prevalence, familial concordance, and correlates of diagnostic uncertainty in children and their parents presenting to a multidisciplinary pain clinic in [...] Read more.
Diagnostic uncertainty, the perceived lack of an accurate explanation of the patient’s health problem, remains relatively unstudied in children. This study examined the prevalence, familial concordance, and correlates of diagnostic uncertainty in children and their parents presenting to a multidisciplinary pain clinic in the United States. One hundred and twenty-six parents and 91 of their children (Mage = 13.93 years, range = 8–18 years) completed a brief three-item measure of diagnostic uncertainty, as well as measures of pain-related distress and functioning. Forty-eight percent of children and 37% of parents believed something else was going on with the child’s pain that doctors had not found out about yet. Across the three items, 66%–77% of children and their parents agreed in their endorsement of diagnostic uncertainty. Parents who believed that something else was going on with their child’s pain had children with higher avoidance of pain-related activities (F = 5.601, p = 0.020) and lower pain willingness (F = 4.782, p = 0.032). Neither parent nor child diagnostic uncertainty was significantly related to the child’s pain-related functioning. Diagnostic uncertainty, particularly in parents, is relevant in the experience of pediatric chronic pain and warrants further investigation as both a risk factor and therapeutic target. Full article
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12 pages, 217 KiB  
Article
Student Feedback to Tailor the CARD™ System for Improving the Immunization Experience at School
by Charlotte Logeman, Anna Taddio, C. Meghan McMurtry, Lucie Bucci, Noni MacDonald, Garth Chalmers, Victoria Gudzak, Vibhuti Shah, Joanne Coldham, Cheri Little, Tracy Samborn, Cindy Dribnenki and Joanne Snider
Children 2020, 7(9), 126; https://doi.org/10.3390/children7090126 - 4 Sep 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2818
Abstract
Increasing the comfort of vaccine delivery at school is needed to improve the immunization experience for students. We created the CARD™ (C—Comfort, A—Ask, R—Relax and D—Distract) system to address this clinical care gap. Originally designed for grade 7 students, this study examined the [...] Read more.
Increasing the comfort of vaccine delivery at school is needed to improve the immunization experience for students. We created the CARD™ (C—Comfort, A—Ask, R—Relax and D—Distract) system to address this clinical care gap. Originally designed for grade 7 students, this study examined the perceptions of grade 9 students of CARD™. Grade 9 students who had experience with school-based immunizations, either as recipients or onlookers (n = 7; 100% females 14 years old) participated. Students answered pre–post surveys, reviewed CARD™ educational materials and participated in a semi-structured focus group discussion. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used as the framework for analysis of qualitative data. Participants reported positive perceptions of CARD™ educational materials and that CARD™ could fit into the school immunization process. CARD™ improved knowledge about effective coping interventions and was recommended for education of both nurses and students. The results provide preliminary evidence that CARD™ is acceptable and appropriate for implementation in grade 9 school-based immunizations. Full article

Review

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12 pages, 268 KiB  
Review
Communicating with Youth about Pain: Developmental Considerations
by Natacha D. Emerson and Brenda Bursch
Children 2020, 7(10), 184; https://doi.org/10.3390/children7100184 - 15 Oct 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3231
Abstract
Background: Pain experiences can negatively impact children and adolescents, leading to trauma symptoms and nonadherence to important health behaviors. Developmentally-tailored communication strategies may mitigate this risk. Methods: This article reviews cognitive and linguistic developmental factors, within the familial and cultural context, that are [...] Read more.
Background: Pain experiences can negatively impact children and adolescents, leading to trauma symptoms and nonadherence to important health behaviors. Developmentally-tailored communication strategies may mitigate this risk. Methods: This article reviews cognitive and linguistic developmental factors, within the familial and cultural context, that are important to consider when communicating with youth about acute, procedural, and/or chronic pain. Results: Youth undergoing acute or procedural pain benefit from pain education, truthful information about the procedure, and advance preparation. The use of analogies may be particularly helpful for patient understanding of chronic pain development, maintenance, and treatment. Youth with developmental disabilities may express pain differently than their normative peers, requiring adaptation of communication strategies. Conclusion: Developmentally-tailored pain communication is an important tool for caregivers and healthcare providers that may foster adaptive functioning in youth who experience pain. Full article
17 pages, 246 KiB  
Review
Parent–Child Reminiscing about Past Pain as a Preparatory Technique in the Context of Children’s Pain: A Narrative Review and Call for Future Research
by Maria Pavlova, Serena L. Orr and Melanie Noel
Children 2020, 7(9), 130; https://doi.org/10.3390/children7090130 - 7 Sep 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3406
Abstract
Pain permeates childhood and remains inadequately and/or inconsistently managed. Existing research and clinical practice guidelines have largely focused on factors influencing the immediate experience of pain. The need for and benefits of preparing children for future pain (e.g., painful procedures) has been well [...] Read more.
Pain permeates childhood and remains inadequately and/or inconsistently managed. Existing research and clinical practice guidelines have largely focused on factors influencing the immediate experience of pain. The need for and benefits of preparing children for future pain (e.g., painful procedures) has been well established. Despite being a robust predictor of future pain and distress, memories of past painful experiences remain overlooked in pediatric pain management. Just as autobiographical memories prepare us for the future, children’s memories for past pain can be harnessed to prepare children for future painful experiences. Children’s pain memories are malleable and can be reframed to be less distressing, thus reducing anticipatory distress and promoting self-efficacy. Parents are powerful agents of change in the context of pediatric pain and valuable historians of children’s past painful experiences. They can alter children’s pain memories to be less distressing simply by talking, or reminiscing, about past pain. This narrative review summarizes existing research on parent–child reminiscing in the context of acute and chronic pediatric pain and argues for incorporation of parent–child reminiscing elements into preparatory interventions for painful procedures. Full article
10 pages, 196 KiB  
Review
Peer Support in the Treatment of Chronic Pain in Adolescents: A Review of the Literature and Available Resources
by James A. Tolley, Marti A. Michel, Amy E. Williams and Janelle S. Renschler
Children 2020, 7(9), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/children7090129 - 7 Sep 2020
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3808
Abstract
Peer support has found applications beyond the mental health field and is useful for managing several chronic disorders and supporting healthy lifestyle choices. Communication through telephone and the Internet allows for greater access to those who cannot meet in person. Adolescent chronic pain [...] Read more.
Peer support has found applications beyond the mental health field and is useful for managing several chronic disorders and supporting healthy lifestyle choices. Communication through telephone and the Internet allows for greater access to those who cannot meet in person. Adolescent chronic pain would seem ideally suited to benefit from online peer support groups. Research is lacking, however, to characterize benefit in terms of pain and function, despite a clear desire among adolescents for access to such programs. More rapid development of online applications is needed for peer support, and research into the associated outcomes will be necessary to optimally design such programs. Full article
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