Purpose of review: To review recent research on the management of acute procedural pain in pediatric patients.
Recent findings: Pediatric patients experience pain with the same or greater intensity as their adult counterparts. Recent studies have acknowledged the importance of people's beliefs about pain and of a multidisciplinary approach to the assessment and treatment of acute pain.
Summary: Pediatric patients experience pain from procedures related to their care. Pediatricians should educate themselves regarding the accurate assessment of pain, and the pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic methods of managing acute pain.