Regional Anesthesia for Pain Relief in Children.

Managing pain in children is a complex area that requires an understanding of the unique challenges offered by this young population. Regional anesthesia is emerging as an adjunct to pain management in children, particularly in the perioperative arena.The following article will assist the practitioner with the management of pain in children through regional techniques. Prior to the presentation of the regional techniques, an overview is presented to address the neurodevelopment of the child, the pharmacologic concerns in the younger patients, and the assessment of pain in the different age groups. Several of the commonly performed regional blocks with appropriate dosing guidelines are reviewed, with an emphasis on blocks that are more unique to the pediatric population.