[Special features of acute pain in the paediatric age group].

Treatment of acute pain in children is a very important part of every doctor's work, and requires well-founded knowledge of this particular age group. Even in preterm infants pain apperception is fully developed, so that adequate analgesia is necessary. During infancy and childhood the individual developmental stage must be taken into account; the ability to cope with pain often differs distinctly from that in adults. At the starting of an analgesic regimen nonsteroidal analgesics are sufficient in most cases. If pain is severe iv morphine should be used much more often in children, because it is very effective and side effects can be avoided. In contrast to chronic pain management, pain-dependent analgesic management can be considered as beneficial. Good knowledge of a small number of drugs with their pharmacological profile is sufficient for effective analgesic results even in severe pain states in children. Behavioural medicine should be integrated into paediatric pain management as soon as possible. An early start of pain reduction and prophylaxis is the best basis for development in the direction of competent pain coping behaviour in adult life.