Effects of nonpharmacologic distraction methods on children's postoperative pain: A nonmatched case-control study

PURPOSE: To investigate whether nonpharmacologic distraction as a supplement to conventional pain management can reduce children's assessment of pain in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), and if parental assessment is a reliable proxy in assessing children's postoperative pain.

DESIGN: A nonmatched case-control study.

METHODS: The sample included 241 children aged 2 to 7 years assigned to one of five intervention groups or a control group. Children's and parents' assessments of pain were registered on arrival to PACU and repeated after 15, 30, and 45 minutes using the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale.

FINDINGS: Positive effects of interventions were found in both children's and parental assessments. Results indicate a positive correlation between children's and parental assessments in children older than 3 years (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS: Nonpharmacologic distraction is recommended as a supplement to conventional postoperative pain management. Parental assessment is a reliable proxy in assessing postoperative pain in children younger than 5 years.