Opinion: Some kids in pain need opioids. For doctors, that means walking a tightrope
When I begin treating a child in severe pain, I gear up for the conversation with parents about pain control, knowing I might get a response like, "Are you trying…
As a physician who works in a pediatric emergency department, I see the downsides of trampolines, monkey bars, coffee tables with sharp corners, and even hot soup — all common sources of children’s injuries. No matter what the trauma, many of my patients are in pain. And with all of the publicity around opioids, treating injured children’s pain has become a complicated, and often emotional, issue.
Pain can often be eased with acetaminophen or ibuprofen. But
