Sweet solutions for procedural pain in infants

Aust Fam Physician. 2013 Aug;42(8):572.

Abstract

A sweet solution, such as sucrose or glucose, can be used for analgesia for minor short term procedural pain, such as immunisation, in infants up to 12 months of age. The sweet solution is given orally and provides short term analgesia. It has National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Level I evidence of efficacy and no serious adverse effects have been reported. This article is part of a series on non drug treatments summarising indications, considerations, evidence and where clinicians and patients can get further information.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Glucose / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Injections / adverse effects*
  • Pain / drug therapy*
  • Pain / etiology
  • Pain / prevention & control
  • Pain Management / methods
  • Phlebotomy / adverse effects
  • Sucrose / therapeutic use*
  • Sweetening Agents / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Sweetening Agents
  • Sucrose
  • Glucose