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MARCH 5, 2018

Behavioral Indicators May Underestimate Actual, Future Pain in Neonates

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Anaheim—Relying on behavioral indicators, like crying, to assess surgical pain in neonates underestimates actual pain and could lead to long-term effects on brain development and future pain sensitivity, according to research presented at the 2018 American Pain Society Scientific Summit (Curr Biol 2017;27[4]:3846-3851).

Infants respond to noxious stimulation from birth, but the neural pathways underlying pain behavior and pain perception change through infancy, childhood and