Medical History Mysteries: Analgesics for pediatric patients

March 24, 2022
Drs. Pamela Maragliano-Muniz and Tom Viola talk about how to treat pain in children, proper dosing of acetaminophen, and other considerations when prescribing analgesics for pediatric patients.

What analgesics can we safely prescribe to children, and what should we not prescribe?

In previous issues of Medical History Mysteries, we’ve covered local anesthetics for pediatric patients, how to safely treat your breastfeeding patients, and the safest local anesthetic for pregnant patients.

Now, how do we treat kids for pain?

The first thing is to realize that children are very resilient; they don’t necessarily need as much pain management as an adult patient might. Overall, they are more tolerant of pain than we are as adults.

So, while this is a good starting point, we certainly don’t want to rule out the use of analgesics when they are deemed clinically necessary. My first and only go-to is acetaminophen. But how do we determine the dose, and what dangers should we be cautious about?

In this episode, we’ll discuss safe prescribing of analgesics for pediatric dental patients, negative aspects to be aware of, proper dosing for acetaminophen, and whether we should ever consider using NSAIDs or opioids to treat pain in our youngest patients.

Absolutely critical is, we need to be the experts our patients are looking for us to be. Above all, we must be conservative with our recommendations and prescriptions, especially for the pediatric population.

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Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Through the Loupes newsletter, a publication of the Endeavor Business Media Dental Group. Read more articles and subscribe to Through the Loupes.

About the Author

Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD

Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, is the chief editor of DentistryIQ and editorial co-director of Through the Loupes. Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Dr. Maragliano-Muniz began her clinical career as a dental hygienist. She went on to attend Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, where she earned her doctorate in dental medicine. She then attended the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Dental Medicine, where she became board-certified in prosthodontics. Dr. Maragliano-Muniz owns a private practice, Salem Dental Arts, and lectures on a variety of clinical topics. You may contact her at [email protected].

Related:

Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, named chief editor of DentistryIQ

About the Author

Tom Viola, RPh, CCP

With more than 30 years’ experience as a board-certified pharmacist, clinical educator, professional speaker, and published author, Tom Viola, RPh, CCP, has earned the reputation as the go-to specialist for making pharmacology practical and useful for dental teams. He is the founder of Pharmacology Declassified and is a member of the faculty of more than 10 dental professional degree programs. Viola has contributed to several professional journals and pharmacology textbooks, and currently serves as a consultant to the American Dental Association’s Council on Scientific Affairs.