Pain management is an important concern for a child with cancer or other pain-causing disease. When a child has cancer, one of their greatest fears, and the fear of parents, is pain. Every effort should be made to ease the pain during the treatment process.

Pain is a sensation of discomfort, distress, or agony. Because pain is unique to each person, a child’s pain can’t be measured with a lab test or imaging study. Healthcare providers can evaluate pain by observing a child and asking about it. There are a number of tools and methods available to help assess pain in children.