Treatment of Acute Pediatric Pain

Pediatric neurologists frequently treat acute pain in children. A broad range of medication options is available including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids, and other analgesic adjuvants, such as antidepressants and antiepileptics. This article reviews the physiology underlying the experience of pain and compares the pharmacologic mechanisms and properties of these medications, providing a framework for developing effective multimodal medical treatment approaches to pain in children.