Society for Pediatric Pain Medicine
Better Care for Children in Pain

The Society for Pediatric Pain Medicine (SPPM) aims to advance the quality of anesthesia care and the alleviation of pain-related conditions in children.

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Question of the Month – June 2022




A 15-year-boy presents for an urgent revision of a previous ankle dislocation after falling off his skateboard. His past history is significant for ADHD, and anxiety and ankle surgery 6 months ago. He started using marijuana when he was 13, and misused his opioid prescription after his previous surgery. He is very concerned about postoperative pain management and states that he had significant pain after his last surgery. On his way back to the OR he admits to using opioids or “whatever he can get his hands on” daily since that surgery, and that he seems to need higher and higher doses. He reports having tried to stop without success and is worried about withdrawal.


Which of the following terms best describes his probable current diagnosis?

Correct! Wrong!

Question of the Month - June 2022
Correct Answer: D. Person with substance use disorder


The patient’s symptoms fit with a possible diagnosis of substance use disorder. A mental health professional such a psychiatrist would need to formally make the diagnosis and get further history to confirm that the patient meets the criticeria for substance use disorder. The term addict, drug addict or even drug abuser assumes moralistic and judgmental connotation. There is blame, shame and stereotyping, even though increased medical and scientific evidence reveals that addiction is a chronic disease with remission, recurrence and relapse. The public already holds highly stigmatizing views regarding people with SUD; these attitudes as well as those help by the patients themselves can prevent individuals from seeking help, in particular adolescents and young adults 4. The DSM V specifically uses the terminology substance (or specific drug such as opioid) use disorder in contrast to previous editions of the DSM.


The DSM V criteria for substance use disorder is as follows1,2,3 :


1. Taking the substance in larger amounts or for longer than you're meant to.


2. Wanting to cut down or stop using the substance but not managing to.


3. Spending a lot of time getting, using, or recovering from use of the substance.


4. Cravings and urges to use the substance.


5. Not managing to do what you should at work, home, or school because of substance use.


6. Continuing to use, even when it causes problems in relationships.


7. Giving up important social, occupational, or recreational activities because of substance use.


8. Using substances again and again, even when it puts you in danger.


9. Continuing to use, even when you know you have a physical or psychological problem that could have been caused or made worse by the substance.


10. Needing more of the substance to get the effect you want (tolerance).


11. Development of withdrawal symptoms, which can be relieved by taking more of the substance.


We will and do see patients’ with SUD in the operating room, acute pain and chronic pain environments, and avoiding the use of problematic language can make a real difference in patients’ experience and improve compassionate care. The American Academy of Pediatric recently published a paper on the use of the recommended terminology in the care of children, adolescents, young adults and their families 5. There is an incredibly helpful table that makes it easy to appreciate which terms are preferred and why those terms should be used. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2022-057529


References:


1. McLellan AT. Substance misuse and substance use disorders: Why do they matter in healthcare?. Trans Am Clin Climatol Assoc. 2017;128:112-130.


2. https://www.verywellmind.com/dsm-5-criteria-for-substance-use-disorders-21926


3. American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th ed. Arlington, VA 2013


4. Hadland S et.al. Stigma Associated with Opioid Use Disorder in young Adults: A Case Series. Addict Sci Clin Pract 2018, 13: 15 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5937046/


5. Alinsky RH et.al. Recommended Terminology for Substance Use Disorders in the Care of Children, Adolescents, Young Adults and Families. Pediatrics.2022: 149 (6) https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/149/6/e2022057529/188090/Recommended-Terminology-for-Substance-Use?autologincheck=redirected

Question of the Month – May 2022

Auriculotherapy is a form of acupuncture that utilizes acupuncture points on the ear. Which of the following statements are true regarding auriculotherapy?


Correct! Wrong!

Question of the Month - May 2022
Correct Answser: e. All of the above statements are true.


Auriculotherapy is a very common form of acupuncture that is based on the theory that the external ear has a somatotopic microsystem that is connected to the entire body1,2. Auriculotherapy can be done with traditional acupuncture needles, microneedles on adhesive pads, adhesive pellets, and laser. Auriculotherapy has been shown to have a positive effect on anxiety, insomnia, acute pain, and chronic pain, albeit the quality of studies are limited2,3,4,5,6. The NADA auriculotherapy protocol was developed to treat detoxification symptoms and reduce drug cravings. In a systematic review of published randomized controlled trials, 64% of studies reported that auriculotherapy was effective in the treatment of substance use disorders7. Supplementing existing evidence-based treatment with the NADA protocol may facilitate recovery by increasing treatment retention and decreasing methadone dosage needs8. Battlefield acupuncture (BFA) is a specific auriculotherapy treatment used for the treatment of acute pain, commonly used in the military and VA hospitals9. The literature regarding its efficacy is inconsistent2,9,10.


REFERENCES


1Oleson T. Overview and History of Auriculotherapy. Auriculotherapy Manual: Chinese and Western Systems of Ear Acupuncture, Fourth Edition, Churchill Livingstone, 2014, Pages 1-24. ISBN 9780702035722


2Liebell D. The Science of Auricular Microsystem Acupuncture: Amygdala Function in Psychiatric, Neuromusculoskeletal, and Functional Disorders. Med Acupunct. 2019 Jun 1;31(3):157-163. doi: 10.1089/acu.2019.1339. Epub 2019 Jun 17. PMID: 31297169; PMCID: PMC6604906.


3Vieira A, Reis AM, Matos LC, Machado J, Moreira A. Does auriculotherapy have therapeutic effectiveness? An overview of systematic reviews. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2018 Nov;33:61-70. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.08.005. Epub 2018 Aug 23. PMID: 30396628.


4Lan Y, Wu X, Tan HJ, Wu N, Xing JJ, Wu FS, Zhang LX, Liang FR. Auricular acupuncture with seed or pellet attachments for primary insomnia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2015 Apr 2;15:103. doi: 10.1186/s12906-015-0606-7. PMID: 25886561; PMCID: PMC4425871.


5Dellovo AG, Souza LMA, de Oliveira JS, Amorim KS, Groppo FC. Effects of auriculotherapy and midazolam for anxiety control in patients submitted to third molar extraction. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2019 May;48(5):669-674. doi: 10.1016/j.ijom.2018.10.014. Epub 2018 Nov 12. PMID: 30442551.


6Serritella E, Impellizzeri A, Liguori A, Galluccio G. Auriculotherapy used to manage orthodontic pain: a randomized controlled pilot study. Dental Press J Orthod. 2021 Dec 17;26(6):e2119381. doi: 10.1590/2177-6709.26.6.e2119381.oar. PMID: 34932772; PMCID: PMC8690330.


7Lee EJ. Effects of auriculotherapy on addiction: a systematic review. J Addict Dis. 2022 Feb 18:1-13. doi: 10.1080/10550887.2021.2016011. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35179436.


8Baker TE, Chang G. The use of auricular acupuncture in opioid use disorder: A systematic literature review. Am J Addict. 2016 Dec;25(8):592-602. doi: 10.1111/ajad.12453. Epub 2016 Nov 2. PMID: 28051842.


9Yang J, Ganesh R, Wu Q, Li L, Ogletree SP, Del Fabro AS, Wahner-Roedler DL, Xiong D, Bauer BA, Chon TY. Battlefield Acupuncture for Adult Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Am J Chin Med. 2021;49(1):25-40. doi: 10.1142/S0192415X21500026. Epub 2020 Dec 29. PMID: 33375924.


10Taylor SL, Giannitrapani KF, Ackland PE, Thomas ER, Federman DG, Holliday JR, Olson J, Kligler B, Zeliadt SB. The Implementation and Effectiveness of Battlefield Auricular Acupuncture for Pain. Pain Med. 2021 Aug 6;22(8):1721-1726. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnaa474. PMID: 33769534.

New Website Alert! Baby Blocks Launched!

SPPM Member, Dr. John Hagen and an experienced team of pediatric anesthesiologists have recently launched Baby Blocks, a free online resource dedicated to pediatric regional anesthesia. This is the first website dedicated to regional anesthesia for children and teens and includes detailed information on nerve blocks with ultrasound images, anatomy, and safety information. Peruse the website here: https://www.baby-blocks.com/

 

Pain Animation Video for Patients and Caregivers

 

The pain team at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust in the UK has released a wonderful youtube animation video that explains pain relief to children and young people. It covers how the team manages pain, the types of pain medicine  used and side effects. The animation is currently available only in English with subtitles. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/jV3G7voqOho

Postsurgical Pain Assessment in Children and Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy

 

A new scoping review investigates facts that influence assessment of postoperative pain in pediatric patients with cerebral palsy.

One pain assessment scale was found to be most suitable for postoperative pain assessment, read on for more info: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dmcn.15259

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Upcoming Meeting Information

SPPM 13th Annual Meeting
March 12, 2026
Sheraton Denver Downtown
Denver, CO

 

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