Test Your Knowledge: Responsible Use of Opioids in Children

Untreated pain in childhood may have ramifications well into adulthood. Opioid medications have an important role in care for moderate to severe pain that cannot be relieved by first-line interventions, but clinicians must approach opioid use in the emergency department in an evidence-based, socially responsible manner. 

Our recent issue Responsible and Safe Use of Opioids in Children and Adolescents in the Emergency Department reviews evidence-based approaches to assessment and management of pain in children and adolescents, with a focus on optimizing nonopioid pain management as a first approach and using opioid medications safely, when appropriate. 

Test Your Knowledge

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Ready to learn more? Log in or subscribe now to check out our recent issue Responsible and Safe Use of Opioids in Children and Adolescents in the Emergency Department. Complete the 10-question quiz to earn 4 CME credits!

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Here are a few key points:

  • Assess pain globally, using a developmentally appropriate pain scale. Ask the family about the impact of the injury on the child’s functioning. (See Table 1 in issue.) This allows for a better picture of the extent of the pain and can inform the pain management plan.
  • Treat pain in a multimodal fashion. Combine physical, psychological, and pharmacological interventions to create the best pain-relief plan. Parents/caregivers and child life specialist involvement form an important part of this planning.
  • Based on efficacy and adverse effect profile, ibuprofen is the first-line oral agent in treatment, particularly for acute musculoskeletal injuries.

Read the full issue and earn 4 CME credits

Last Updated on January 25, 2023

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