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Developmental Care: Neonatal Pain Pain in the Neonate.Although it hasn't always been so, it is now a widely accepted fact that even the earliest of our premature patients experience pain, and that untreated pain can have a lasting impact. Although premature infants have not completely developed their nervous systems they do have the components to transmit and perceive pain. In fact, they may be more sensitive to pain because the mechanism that modifies pain in an adult, making it seem more bearable, is not matured in neonates.(1)(2) Consequences of untreated pain can include intraventricular hemorrhage, vital sign instability, longer time needed on a vent, post-op instability, increased O2 needs, decreased GI motility and poor growth. Research shows that normal newborns undergoing painful procedures (i.e. heelstick, circumcision) without pain control have an increased sensitivity to pain later.(2) Preemies have shown to have a decreased sensitivity to pain later.(1) Untreated neonatal pain may also be associated with psychosocial disorders later in life.(1) Learning disabilities may also be a concern.(3) Preemies can experience 100's of painful procedures during their NICU stay.(2) While pain control is routinely used for major causes of pain in the NICU many routine interventions that cause pain may go untreated.(3) In additional to pharmacologic measures, a developmental approach can help to manage neonatal pain.(3) back to top Resources.1. Anand, K. J. S. and Frank M. Scalzo. February 2000. "Can Adverse Neonatal Experiences Alter Brain Development and Subsequent Behavior?" Biology of the Neonate, Volume 77, Number 2: Pages 69-82.
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