Sedoanalgesia or how to cure the fear of the doctor in children
Although for many it is unknown, the sedoanalgesia It is presented as a good method to alleviate this pain caused by physical damage or the fear that causes the visit to the doctor in children. At this point the role of health personnel is fundamental in the application of these techniques aimed at soothing these ailments in the child so that their passage through the health center.
What is sedonalagesia?
The Spanish Association of Pediatrics, AEP, defines sedoanalgesia as "methods that are used to eliminate or reduce pain or anxiety that are associated with the child's own illness or the diagnostic or therapeutic procedures required at a given time". In short, the fundamental objective is to achieve a state of well-being in the smallest.
Unlike other similar procedures, sedoanalgesia in healthy patients does not require the presence of a anesthetist nor does it have to be performed in the operating room. Of course, it must be done by a person with high knowledge of drugs and training in the recovery of patients who have been sedated by some type of procedure.
Before starting the sedoanalgesia procedure, the specialist who will perform it will ask some questions related to the child's health, such as, for example, their Medical history, the presence of allergies, medications that are taking, previous events related to sedative or analgesic drugs, as well as the time of the last meal or drink.
There is also the possibility that a physical exploration in which physical alterations or diseases that could hinder or contraindicate the procedure (asthma crisis, cardiac pathology, limitation of the opening of the mouth, etc.) will be ruled out. Likewise, the weight will be collected and the necessary vital signs are taken.
What types of sedoanalgesia are there
Pediatricians distinguish between two types of sedoanalgesias:
- Pharmacological measures. Administration of drugs with sedative, analgesic or both. These products can be supplied by different routes: intravenous, intramuscular, oral, intranasal, inhaled. Occasionally, the limitation of damage to a specific area (wounds, eye erosions, etc.) may make local administration of drugs with anesthetic effect sufficient (gels, local infiltration).
- Non-pharmacological measures. Different techniques that range from the quiet explanation of the steps of the procedure to hypnosis. The best known and most effective are the presence of parents in the room and the visual distraction through videos or calm and colorful images. Although these techniques may be insufficient for intense pain they are always beneficial.
When it is recommended
Pediatricians do not offer a closed list of situations in which sedoanalgesia should be used and others in which they do not. However, they suggest a series of contexts where this process offers a great help:
- Repair of wounds and treatment of burns.
- Reduction of fractures and other traumatological problems.
- Invasive tests: lumbar puncture, arthrocentesis, venipuncture, etc.
- Imaging tests that require immobility: resonance, CT (scanner).
Damián Montero
