Postsurgical pain assessment in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy: A scoping review.

aimTo investigate factors that influence the assessment of postoperative pain in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) and the tools available to determine pain intensity.

methodThe search was performed in January 2022 using six databases. Articles focused on paediatric patients with CP; we included instruments for postsurgical pain assessment in this population published in the last 11 years.

resultsEight of 441 studies were included. Males and females behave differently; their families can be called on to describe their pain responses. Seven instruments for pain assessment were identified: the Non-Communicating Children's Pain Checklist and its Postoperative Version; the Paediatric Pain Profile; the revised Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability (FLACC) pain scale; the Douleur Enfant San Salvador scale; the Pain Indicator for Communicatively Impaired Children; the University of Wisconsin Children's Hospital Pain Scale; and the Individualized Numeric Rating Scale.

interpretationThe revised FLACC pain scale is suited to postsurgical units because of its ease of use and the fact that parental collaboration is not required. More studies are needed to demonstrate the clinical utility of these scales in postsurgical units and the factors that influence pain assessment. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: Families should be asked to collaborate when assessing pain in children and adolescents whenever possible. Larger studies that focus on the factors influencing pain assessment in this population are required.