Professionals’ perceptions of pain management of children with cerebral palsy in South African school settings

2016 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 42-42
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ensa Johnson ◽  
Stefan Nilsson ◽  
Margareta Adolfsson

Background: Pain in children with cerebral palsy (CP) has its sources in musculoskeletal problems that can influence learning in a school setting. Best pain management is essential for these children, but school staff may not keep up to date with the latest developments and interventions. Therefore, staff’s perceptions of beneficial strategies may not comply with contemporary scientific knowledge about effective evidence-based interventions.Objectives: This study investigated how pain management intervention for children with CP in South African schools complied with international scientific knowledge about evidence-based interventions. The intention was to provide support for an update of knowledge on both individual level (i.e. professionals) and system level (i.e. decision makers).Method: Five focus groups were conducted with staff members at five schools for children with special educational needs in South Africa. Manifest and latent content analyses of professional statements identified interventions reported as beneficial and related them to higher and lower levels of intervention evidence as reported at the time of data collection.Results: Most treatment strategies concerned motor functioning that fell within the framework of physiotherapists and occupational therapists. Access to orthopaedic expertise was limited, waiting times were long and medication for spasticity treatment was not offered.Conclusion: A discrepancy between published evidence and clinical practice for pain management in children with CP in South African school settings was noted. Suggestions for improved early intervention to identify children’s hips at risk through surveillance programmes; and orthopaedic management are proposed to prevent deformities and unnecessary suffering in South African children with CP.


2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Line Kjeldgaard Pedersen ◽  
Ole Rahbek ◽  
Lone Nikolajsen ◽  
Bjarne Møller-Madsen

AbstractBackground and aimsPain in children with cerebral palsy (CP) is difficult to assess and is therefore not sufficiently recognized and treated. Children with severe cognitive impairments have an increased risk of neglected postoperative, procedural and chronic pain resulting in decreased quality of life. The r-FLACC (revised Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consol ability) pain score is an internationally acclaimed tool for assessing pain in children with CP because of its ease to use and its use of core pain behaviours. In addition the r-FLACC pain score may be superior to other pain assessment tools since it includes an open- ended descriptor for incorporation of individual pain behaviours. The COSMIN group has set up three quality domains, which describe the quality of Health-Related Patient-Reported Outcomes (HR-PROs). These are reliability (internal consistency, reliability and measurement error), validity (content validity, construct validity and criterion validity) and responsiveness. The r-FLACC score has only been assessed for reliability and validity in the original English version by the developers of the score. The aim of this study is to assess reliability and validity of the r-FLACC pain score for use in Danish children with CP.MethodsTwenty-seven children aged 3–15 years old with CP were included after orthopaedic surgery. Two methods for assessment of postoperative pain were used. Pain intensity was assessed by r-FLACC, with a 2 min standardized video recording of the child, and the Observational Visual Analogue Score (VAS-OBS) assessed by the parents. The COSMIN checklist was used as a guideline in the reliability and validity testing of the r-FLACC score.ResultsReliability was supported by three measurement properties. Internal consistency was excellent with a Cronbachs alpha of 0.9023 and 0.9758 (two raters). A factor analysis of the subgroups in the r-FLACC score showed unidimensionality. A test-retest showed excellent intra-rater reliability with an intraclass correlation (ICC) of 0.97530. Inter-rater reliability was acceptable with an ICC of 0.74576. Validity was supported by three measurement properties. Content validity was tested by the originators of the r-FLACC. Construct validity was supported by a significant increase in r-FLACC scores following surgery (n = 17; difference 2.23; p = 0.0397). Criterion validity was acceptable with Pearson’s correlation coefficients of 0.76 and 0.59 when comparing r-FLACC scores and VAS-OBS scores.Conclusions and implicationsThis study benefits from a systematical approach to the validation and reliability parameters by using the COSMIN checklist as a guideline. It is evident that the r-FLACC pain score maintains its psychometric properties after translation. In conclusion, the r-FLACC pain score is valid and reliable in assessing postoperative pain in children with CP not able to self-report pain. With the r-FLACC pain score clinicians have a valid tool for assessing postoperative pain, hence increasing the quality of pain management in children with CP. In addition the validated r-FLACC score has the potential for use in interventional research regarding pain management in this vulnerable group of patients. Future perspectives include validation of the r-FLACC score for procedural and chronic everyday pain and implementation into daily practice.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Nsalazi Bambi ◽  
Angelina Kakooza Mwesige ◽  
Hervé Monka Lekuya ◽  
Philip Kasirye ◽  
Richard Idro

Abstract Background Children with cerebral palsy (CP) frequently experience chronic pain. The burden and severity of such pain is often underestimated in relation to their other impairments. Recognition and awareness of this chronic pain among children with CP constitute the cornerstone for caretakers and clinicians to improve the quality of life of those children. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of chronic pain among children with CP, and the factors associated. Methods A cross-sectional study of children with CP, aged 2–12 years, attending the CP rehabilitation clinic and Pediatric Neurology Clinic at Mulago Hospital, Uganda from November 2017 to May 2018. A detailed history and clinical examination were performed and the co-morbidities were determined. CP was classified using the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), Manual Ability Classification System, Communication Function Classification System (CFCS), and the Eating and Drinking Ability Classification System (EDACS) and documented with the level of impairment in the different domains. Pain was assessed by using the revised Face, Legs, Activity, Consolability, Cry pain scale. Results A total of 224 children with CP were enrolled. The prevalence of chronic pain was 64.3%. The majority had spastic bilateral CP (77.8%), moderate pain lasting over 6 months, and none of them was on long-term pain management. Epilepsy (60.9%), behavioral problem (63.2%), hearing impairment (66,7%), learning problem (67,6%), dental caries (75%), gastro-esophageal reflux (75%), sleep disorders (79.5%), vision impairment (80%), and malnutrition (90%) were co- morbid conditions of chronic pain in children with CP in this study. The factors independently associated with chronic pain among children with CP were the GMFCS level IV & V, CFCS level IV & V, EDACS level IV & V, female children, and caretaker aged more than 30 years. Conclusions Two-thirds of children with CP attending rehabilitation in this hospital had chronic pain. None was receiving pain management. Chronic pain was associated with the presence of multiple co-morbidities and more severe disability. Rehabilitation and care programs for children with CP should include assessment of pain in routine care and provide interventions for pain relief in children with CP even at an early age.


2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (8) ◽  
pp. 720-725 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert P. Moore ◽  
Tracy Wester ◽  
Rani Sunder ◽  
Charles Schrock ◽  
Tae S. Park

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Nsalazi Bambi ◽  
Angelina Kakooza Mwesige ◽  
Hervé Monka Lekuya ◽  
Philip Kasirye ◽  
Richard Idro

Abstract Background: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) frequently experience chronic pain. The burden and severity of such pain is often underestimated in relation to their other impairments.Recognition and awareness of this chronic pain among children with CP constitute the cornerstone for caretakers and clinicians to improve the quality of life of those children. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of chronic pain among children with CP, and the factors associated.Methods: A cross-sectional study of children with CP, aged 2 – 12 years, attending the CP rehabilitation clinic and Pediatric Neurology Clinic at Mulago Hospital, Uganda from November 2017 to May 2018. A detailed history and clinical examination were performed and the co-morbidities were determined. CP was classified using the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), Manual Ability Classification System, Communication Function Classification System (CFCS), and the Eating and Drinking Ability Classification System (EDACS) and documented with the level of impairment in the different domains. Pain was assessed by using the revised Face, Legs, Activity, Consolability, Cry pain scale.Results: A total of 224 children with CP were enrolled. The prevalence of chronic pain was 64.3%. The majority had spastic bilateral CP (77.8%), moderate pain lasting over 6 months, and none of them was on long-term pain management. Epilepsy (60.9%), behavioral problem (63.2%), hearing impairment (66,7%), learning problem (67,6%), dental caries (75%), gastro-esophageal reflux (75%), sleep disorders (79.5%), vision impairment (80%), and malnutrition (90%) were comorbid conditions of chronic pain in children with CP in this study. The factors independently associated with chronic pain among children with CP were the GMFC system level 4 & 5, CFCS level 4 & 5, EDACS level 4 & 5, female children, and caretaker aged more than 30 years.Conclusion: Two-thirds of children with CP attending rehabilitation in this hospital had chronic pain. None was receiving pain management. Chronic pain was associated with the presence of multiple co-morbidities and more severe disability. Rehabilitation and care programs for children with CP should include assessment of pain in routine care and provide interventions for pain relief in children with CP even at an early age.


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