Follow the pain relief recommendations that you were given at the hospital. A combination of medicines that work in different ways is best. Stick to the rules when it comes to the type of medicine, the dose, and the time of doses to keep a steady level of pain relief and to avoid “pain peaks”. This applies even if your child does not seem to be in pain at the moment.
Wake the child to give pain relief during the night, even though it may seem better not to disturb their sleep. Children and young people usually fall back to sleep quickly. This prevents flareups of pain that may disturb sleep and may be difficult to deal with on the following day. Regular pain relief also means that smaller amounts of medicines need to be given overall, which cuts the risks of side effects.
Distraction is a natural way of helping pain. You can keep your child’s brain busy by asking them to think about something fun, or something that they like to do. Encourage them to play games, read, draw, sing, chat online, or watch videos. You can also help by changing their position in the bed, or by placing a pillow under an arm or leg or behind their back. After throat operations, drinking or eating something cold or sucking on a piece of ice are all soothing.
Movement helps well-being and the body’s own production of pain relief. Follow the rules on movement you were given and ask the staff what rules apply after your child’s operation. Stimulate and encourage your child to move around in different ways within the rules. In the majority of cases there is some physical activity that the child can be allowed to do despite restrictions. All children and young people enjoy fresh air, physical activity, and movement when their bodies and minds have to recover from a stay in hospital.
Contact the medical services if you have any questions or anything you are not sure about regarding your child’s pain management. We are here to give help and support.