Outcomes and research

Finding the best ways to control pain

At Children’s, we focus on research and creative ways to make a difference in the child’s experience of pain. From improving the child’s experience of pain with “pokes” to improving pain management with painful conditions and surgery, we are always looking for the best approaches for pain control. We adopt cutting-edge technologies, ask children and parents for their ideas and review evidence based practice within the field of pain. Our research is completely kid and family-focused.

Children’s is engaged in many types of research, including investigator-initiated studies (led by a Children’s clinician), as well as externally sponsored multi-center trials, observational studies and registries. Within the pain program we’re also involved in many types of research studies of pain medications, outcome studies for children with chronic pain and quality improvement projects to improve procedural pain.

Examples of these exciting research studies include:

• Education in Palliative and End-of-life Care Pediatrics (EPEC-Pediatrics) aims to improve access to, and quality of, comprehensive pediatric palliative care for children with advanced cancer and other life-threatening conditions. PI: Stefan Friedrichsdorf, MD
• Eliminating needle pain in children: A multisite program to reduce painful needle procedure experiences in the pediatric inpatient setting. This project is aimed at creating a high quality tool kit that can be applied to various clinical environments utilizing best practices techniques for needle pain management in the pediatric inpatient setting. PI: Stefan Friedrichsdorf, MD
• Measuring Health Utilization, Cost, and Burden of Illness in Caring for a Child with a Complex Chronic Condition at Home. The primary goal of this study is to measure cost and burden of illness for parents caring for a child with a complex chronic condition at home. PI: Andrea Postier, MPH
• A Comparison of Postoperative Tramadol/Gabapentin/Ibuprofen versus Tramadol/Placebo/Ibuprofen in Children Undergoing Tonsillectomy aims to determine the efficacy of adding Gabapentin to commonly prescribed post-operative pain management medication. PI: Stefan Friedrichsdorf, MD

Learn more about research at Children’s and our research team.

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See our other research and publications.

• Postier A, Chrastek J, Nugent S, Osenga K, Friedrichsdorf SJ: Exposure to Home-Based Pediatric Palliative and Hospice Care and Its Impact on Hospital and Emergency Care Charges at a Single Institution. J Palliat Med 2014; 17(2): 183-8
• Friedrichsdorf S, Postier Nugent A, Strobl Q: Codeine-associated pediatric deaths despite using recommended dosing guidelines: Three case reports. J Opioid Managem 2013; 9(2):151-155
• Friedrichsdorf S, Postier Nugent A: Management of neuropathic pain in children with cancer. Current Opinion in Supportive & Palliative Care, 2013. 7(3):131-8
• Feudtner C, Kang TI, Hexem KR, Friedrichsdorf SJ, Osenga K, Siden H, Friebert SE, Hays RM, Dussel V, Wolfe J: Pediatric Palliative Care Patients: A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study. Pediatrics 2011; 127(6): 1094-101
• Friedrichsdorf SJ: Pain management in children with advanced cancer and during end-of-life care. Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2010 May;27(4):257-61.
• Friedrichsdorf SJ, Remke S, Symalla B, Gibbon C, Chrastak J: Integrative Pain Medicine and Palliative Care at a US Children’s Hospital. J Altern Med Res 2010;2(1):35-48
• Friedrichsdorf SJ, Osenga K: Principle of Double Effect in Pediatric Palliative Care – Pain Management for Seriously Ill Infants and Children. Practical Bioethics 2008. 3(4):3-4
• Friedrichsdorf SJ,  Kang T: The Management of Pain in Children with Life-limiting Illnesses. Pediatr Clin N Am 2007, 54:645-72
• Friedrichsdorf SJ, Collins JJ: Managing Non-Pain Symptoms in Pediatric Palliative Care.Medical Principles and Practice 2007;16 (Suppl. 1):3-9
• Friedrichsdorf SJ, Collins JJ: Principles of Pediatric Pain Management during the End-of-Life Period. Medical Principles and Practice 2007 ;16 (Suppl. 1):10-15
• Friedrichsdorf SJ, Remke S, Symalla B, Gibbon C, Chrastak J: Developing a Pain and Pallative Care Program at a Children’s Hospital.  Int J Pall Nurs 2007; 13(11):534-42
• Friedrichsdorf SJ, Finney D, Bergin M, Stevens M, Collins JJ: Breakthrough Pain in Children with Cancer. J Pain Symptom Manage 2007. 34(2):209-216.

Book chapters

• Friedrichsdorf SJ, Gibbon C, Symalla B, Remke S, Chrastek J. (2014) Integrative pain medicine and palliative care at a children’s hospital. In: Merrick J, Schofield P, Morad M (eds): “Pain: International Research in Pain Management” Nova Science Publishers, New York. pp 123-40
• Kuttner L, Friedrichsdorf SJ (2013): Hypnosis and Palliative Care. In: Sugerman LI, Wester W C (eds): Therapeutic Hypnosis with Children and Adolescents. 2nd ed. Crown House Publishing Limited, Bethel. pp 491-509
• Friedrichsdorf SJ (2013) Pain Management in Children with Cancer. In. Oncopedia. St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. https://www.cure4kids.org
• Friedrichsdorf SJ, Zeltzer L (2012) Palliative Care for Children with Advanced Cancer. In: Kreitler S, Ben-Arush MW, Martin A (Eds): Pediatric Psycho-oncology: Psychosocial Aspects and Clinical Interventions, 2nd ed.  John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. pp 160-174
• Hain RDW, Friedrichsdorf SJ (2012). Pharmacological approaches to pain. 1: ‘By the ladder’ – the WHO approach to management of pain in palliative care. In: Goldman A, Hain R, Liben S (eds.) Oxford Textbook of Palliative Care for Children. 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, Oxford, New York, pp. 218-233
• Drake R, Friedrichsdorf SJ, Hain RDW (2012) Pharmacological approaches to pain. 2: ‘Simple analgesics and opioids. In: Goldman A, Hain R, Liben S (eds.) Oxford Textbook of Palliative Care for Children. 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, Oxford, New York. pp 234-246
• Friedrichsdorf SJ (2011) Cancer Pain Management in Children. In: Farquhar-Smith P, Wigmore T (Eds.) Anaesthesia, intensive care, and pain management for the cancer patient. Oxford University Press. pp 215-227
• Friedrichsdorf SJ (2011) Chapter 28: Palliative Care in Pediatric Neurology. In: Aksu F (ed) Pediatric Neurology [in German: Neuropädiatrie]. 4th edition Uni-Med Publishing Bremen, London, Boston. pp 685-704
• Friedrichsdorf SJ, Drake R, Webster LM (2011). Chapter 33: Gastrointestinal Symptoms. In: Wolfe J, Hinds P, Sourkes BM (eds): Textbook of Interdisciplinary Pediatric Palliative Care. Elsevier/Saunders, Philadelphia. pp 311-334
• Friedrichsdorf S, Chrastek J, Remke S (2010) Supporting transitions: effective palliative care teams. In: Pfund R, Fowler-Kerry S (Eds). Perspectives on Palliative Care for Children and Young People – A Global Discourse. Radcliffe Publishing, Oxford, New York. pp 275-289
• Friedrichsdorf S, Kuttner L, Karl H (2010): Pharmacological Methods to Relieve Pain. In: Kuttner L. A Child in Pain. What Health Professionals Can Do to Help. Crown House Publishing, Carmarthen, Bethel. pp 221-264
• Friedrichsdorf S, Kuttner L, Westendorp K, McCarty R (2010). Integrative Pediatric Palliative Care. In: Culbert TP, Olness K (eds): Integrative Pediatrics. Oxford University Press. Pp 569-593
• Culbert T, Friedrichsdorf S, Kuttner L (2008). Mind/body skills for children in pain. In: Breivik H, Campbell WI, Nicholas MK (eds): Clinical Pain Management – Practice and Procedures, 2nd ed., Hodder Arnold, London. pp 479-495
• Hain RDW, Friedrichsdorf SJ (2007) Palliative care: moving forward. In: Cartlidge P (editor): Ethical, Legal and Social Aspects of Child Healthcare. Elsevier, Edinburgh. pp 137-140