Tratamiento psicológico del dolor en el cáncer infantil

Pain is one of the most common symptoms of cancer in children, caused by the own illness or by the medical procedures. The aim of this paper is to carry out a review on the pain in pediatric patients with cancer. The psychological aspects of the pain, the painful sensations and the assessment instruments are examined. The main psychological techniques to reduce the pain, like distraction, relaxation training, breathing exercises, imagination and contingency control are reviewed. Finally, some instructions to improve the adherence to the treatment and some suggestions to get the pediatric patient have a properly quality of life are provided.