Parents can learn how to manage their children’s pain more effectively with a new booklet, ‘Pain, Pain, Go Away: Helping Children with Pain’.  The booklet was launched by the Children’s Pain Management Service at the Royal Children’s Hospital on Thursday 9 October.

“In October we’re celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the Children’s Pain Management Service.  We decided to launch this booklet to help parents manage their children’s pain and explain the process to children, said co-author of the booklet, Stephanie Dowden, Clinical Nurse Consultant at the Children’s Pain Management Service.

“The booklet, ‘Pain, Pain, Go Away: Helping Children with Pain’ gives vital information to parents to help them detect and manage their children’s pain. It explains medical terms and lists common medications for children. The booklet also outlines actions and behaviours that don’t help children with pain, for example, you should never lie to your child about their medical procedure or give them false reassurance, such as “it won’t hurt at all,” said Stephanie Dowden.

Vivian Monitto, aged 13, recently had surgery at the Royal Children’s Hospital for scoliosis. “The nurses helped Vivian to manage the pain and played music to help her sleep.   I was really impressed that the nurses from the Children’s Pain Management Service called me once we had left the hospital to make sure that Vivian’s medication was being taken correctly, said Vivian’s mother, Liliana Monitto.

To obtain a copy of the booklet, ‘Pain, Pain, Go Away: Helping Children with Pain’ parents can phone (03) 9345 6429, or purchase the booklet for $2 from the Children’s Health Information Centre in the main foyer of the Royal Children’s Hospital.

For further information please contact:

Annessa Conquest
The Royal Children’s Hospital
Ph: 9345 5138