Pain Medicine
For Health Professionals
Patient Stories
Seattle Children's has been a leader in the field of pain management for babies, children and teens since our program began in 1985. We are one of only a handful of children's hospitals in the United States that offer a wide variety of pain control options. Some options, including patient-controlled analgesia pumps, use medicines. Others, such as acupuncture, physical therapy and guided imagery, work either with or without medicine.
Our team includes doctors and nurses who specialize in pain management for children, as well as physical therapists and psychologists who use techniques to decrease pain and help your child be active again. Because pain is caused by a wide range of conditions, we work with experts in nearly all of Children's clinics, and are committed to collaborate closely with specialists involved in the care of your child. We also work closely with you, your child and your child's healthcare providers to develop a treatment plan that takes both your child's specific needs and your concerns into account.
Meet the Pain Medicine care team.
Conditions we treat
We care for children who have pain due to a variety of conditions, including:
- Children who are having pain from medical procedures such as bone marrow aspirations (PDF) and lumbar punctures (PDF). Children's Anesthesiology Services coordinates pain management care for children who are having these procedures.
- Children who are in treatment for cancer or who have had bone marrow transplants.
- Children with long-term, painful medical conditions, such as swelling in the pancreas (pancreatitis), sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, fibromyalgia and complex regional pain syndrome.
- Children whose pain may be a symptom of illness, such as
headaches,
abdominal pain or pain in the bones, muscles and joints (musculoskeletal pain). - Children who have had major surgery, including orthopedic, urological, abdominal, thoracic, plastic surgery or reconstructive procedures.
- Children whose muscles are stiff and rigid (spasticity) due to a neurological condition or who have pain related to problems with their facial structures (craniofacial problems).
- Children who need palliative care at the end of life.
- Children who have been on certain pain medicines for a long time and need to safely and slowly stop taking them.
- Children who have pain due to nerve problems related to surgery or injuries (trauma).