Non-Pharmacological Management for Vaccine-Related Pain in Children in the Healthcare Setting: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Purpose To examine how research was conducted on non-pharmacological management in children with vaccine-related pain in the healthcare setting, so as to provide reference for the relief of vaccine-related pain in children. Methods This study conducted a scoping review guided by the methodological framework of Arksey and O’Malley. MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CINAHL, PubMed databases were searched in detail, and search strategy included the keyword “vaccine”, the keyword “pain”, and the keyword “children”. Two researchers conducted literature screening and data extraction independently, and any disagreements were resolved through team consultation. Results This study retrieved 1017 literatures, of which 22 were finally included, including 18 randomized controlled studies, 3 quasi-experimental studies and 1 cohort study. Non-pharmacological management measures were summarized in the study, mainly involving taste, tactile, olfactory, visual, exercise, and postural interventions and injection technique. All the above non-pharmacological management were effective in mitigating vaccine-related pain in children. The study population in the included literatures was mainly neonates and infants. Regarding the analgesic effects of taste intervention, breastfeeding was better than sweeteners, and sweeteners were better than sterile water or non-nutritive sucking. However, there was a lack of comparative studies on the analgesic effects of other non-pharmacological management. Conclusion There are many non-pharmacological management measures with varying analgesic effects. Diversified non-pharmacological management measures can provide more analgesic choices for children. For reducing vaccine-related pain in newborns and infants, breastfeeding is recommended first, then sweeteners, and then non-nutritious sucking. In addition to the taste intervention, the analgesic effects of other non-pharmacological management measures need further comparative studies. Moreover, medical staff can use a combination of non-pharmacological analgesic measures to maximize the analgesic effect, and medical staff should also fully consider the analgesia willingness of children and parents.

Comparison of breastfeeding, music therapy, and oral sucrose’s impact on pain relief among infants during pentavalent vaccination

“…These findings are consistent with previous research by Wu et al .,[ 21 ] which highlighted the benefits of breastfeeding as a non-pharmacological intervention for reducing infant pain during vaccination. Various interventional methods such as breastfeeding, sweeteners, and non-nutritive sucking were analyzed.…”

Evaluation and Treatment of Pain in Fetuses, Neonates and Children

“…In the 2010 Montreal Declaration, access to pain treatment was declared a fundamental human right, constituting a violation of human rights not to treat pain [ 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 ].…”