Newborns experience ‘too much pain’ during procedures, pediatrics group says

 

Newborns are experiencing too much pain during routine medical procedures, the American Academy of Pediatrics is warning.

In an updated policy statement released Monday, the AAP said pain from these procedures can be significant, especially in premature infants.

“Research suggests that repeated exposure to pain early in life can create changes in brain development and the body’s stress response systems that can last into childhood,” the academy said in a press release.

The policy statement, titled “Prevention and Management of Procedural Pain in the Neonate: An Update,” will appear in the February 2016 issue of Pediatrics.

The new policy recommends health care facilities minimize the number of procedures performed on newborns. Pain should also be monitored and treated with “proven non-drug interventions” when possible, the AAP said.

Though the authors of the statement said giving newborns sucrose and glucose is an effective way to reduce pain, they also expressed concern about excessive use possibly affecting neurological development.

The authors also said other methods, such as skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding, remain underused when treating pain.

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