Management of Child`s Pain by Medical Staff of Mother-Child Hospital at The Mohammed VI University Hospital

Pain is a subjective concept that is not accessible to direct physical measurement. The quantification of the severity of pain intensity relies on various tools that are validated and adapted to clinical situations. Through objective assessment of pain we can effectively manage painful pathologies in children.

We conducted a survey with the medical staff of the Mother-Child hospital of the Mohammed VI University Hospital in Marrakech in order to assess their state of knowledge and their practices regarding pain in children. This is a cross-sectional and descriptive study carried out over 2 months in which 100 physicians responded to the questionnaire, including 46% of interns and 39% of residents. Half of the doctors rated the child`s pain and 79% found it difficult to assess. Among the analgesics prescribed, paracetamol was widely used (83% of physicians). Minor opioids represented a low percentage of prescriptions (12%). We noted that 61% of children received preventive pain treatment before a painful act. Almost all (81%) of the doctors thought that parental presence was necessary to take care of the painful child.

Through this survey, we noticed that training and awareness-raising work for physicians on this subject is required, whether in the form of practical workshops or seminars to improve the management of patient’s pain. The establishment of a national pain control program should be a priority.