The case in summary Research shows that children with severe pain receive too little help in Norwegian hospitals. Children with severe pain are often given Paracet first, but many doctors see the need for an alternative to injections and Paracet. Painkillers via nasal spray can be a good solution, but there are no national guidelines or approvals for using this type of treatment. The National Competence Center for Emergency Medicine in Norway will assess pain-relieving nasal sprays when the Emergency Manual is to be revised next year. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. They have just entered the emergency room. The four-year-old howls in pain. The arm is broken. Then she sees the syringe – scary and sharp, and the world collapses. – It can be demanding to inject a small child who is in great pain. I think that everyone who has worked with children in an acute health situation has had experiences where they have felt that they have not had enough. That’s what newly graduated doctor Marcus G. Prescott says. He has previously worked as a nurse, and has had many shifts both at the emergency department and at the emergency room. As part of his medical studies, together with researchers at NTNU, UiO, Sechenov University and Imperial College London, he has taken a closer look at pain relief in children. And research shows that children with serious pain receive too little help. Both in Norwegian hospitals and in the world in general. Spray instead of needle One in three children in the emergency room complains that they are in pain. These may be children with broken or burn injuries. – Children who are in a lot of pain are usually given Paracetamol. And so do those who are not in so much pain. Ideally, we would like to give something else if the child is in a lot of pain. When I have spoken to colleagues who work with children, everyone sees the need for an alternative to injections and Paracet, says Prescott. Together with associate professor Bjarne Austad at NTNU, the doctor has analyzed 12 previous studies dealing with children and pain relief. The two have concluded that painkillers via nasal spray can be a good solution. – We have found that giving pain relief through a nasal spray is probably as good as giving it through a syringe in a muscle, says Austad. The only problem is that there are no national guidelines or approvals for using this type of treatment. In the new study, one has, among other things, checked the effect when using the drug fentanyl. Then, according to Prescott, one has good pain relief after ten to 20 minutes. Photo: Ella Berit Strugstad Mathisen / news – Have to use your head a bit Today, sedatives are given ahead of a procedure via nasal spray at St. Olavs in Trondheim. But pain relievers such as nasal sprays are mostly given in connection with studies, and mostly to adults. Innlandet Hospital has, among other things, tested it in the ambulance service, says Prescott. He says there are still some doctors who also give it to children if needed. – It is sometimes the case, especially among children and the elderly, that we have to use our heads a little and work outside the guidelines when it comes to drug use. But then any complications will also be on our side, says the newly graduated doctor. Now, however, there is hope that this situation may change before long. Doctor Marcus G. Prescott, together with colleagues, has examined 12 previous studies which have dealt with a total of 1,200 children. They have looked at both the advantages and disadvantages of using nasal sprays. Photo: Ella Berit Strugstad Mathisen / news Looking at the case next year Jesper Blinkenberg is head of the National Competence Center for Emergency Medicine in Norway. He says they will consider pain-relieving nasal sprays when the emergency room handbook is to be revised. The audit is planned for next year. – Changing the standard drug selection and method of use is a lengthy affair in which many considerations come into play, says Blinkenberg to Gemini.no. He says they value input from professionals with expertise. – The ambulance handbook borders on many professional fields. Our challenge is that we cannot follow all developments in all fields equally closely, therefore we collaborate with specialists and expertise. Marcus Prescott has faith. – We hope that giving painkillers such as nasal sprays can provide faster, better and easier pain relief in children.
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Children with severe pain receive too little help
