Society for Pediatric Pain Medicine
Better Care for Children in Pain.

A 17-year-old female with hemoglobin SS sickle cell disease is admitted for her sixth vaso-occlusive pain episode in 4 months. Her outpatient regimen includes oxycodone ER 40 mg twice daily and oxycodone IR 15 mg every 4 hours as needed. During this admission, IV hydromorphone has been titrated to 2 mg every 2 hours, but she reports worsening diffuse pain with new sensitivity to light touch over her extremities. She appears intermittently somnolent between doses but continues to report severe pain scores.

Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in managing this patient's pain?

Correct! Wrong!

Question of the Month - July 2026