Health & body · 2017
How did mothers learn to recognize pain in children with profound cognitive impairment?
Eight mothers described learning through trial and error, developing a sense of knowing their child's pain through experience and reflection. They drew on their knowledge of how their child usually expressed and responded to pain when making decisions.
Details
Children with profound cognitive impairment (PCI) are a heterogeneous group who often experience frequent and persistent pain. People closest to a child play a key role in assessing that pain.
This mixed-methods study explored how parents acquire knowledge and skills to assess and manage their child's pain. Eight mothers completed a weekly pain diary and were interviewed at weeks 1 and 8. The researchers used thematic analysis for the qualitative data and descriptive statistics for the quantitative data.
Mothers described learning through trial and error, or “learning to get on with it.” This involved learning to know without a rule book or guide, learning to be a convincing advocate, and learning to endure and get things right. Experiential and reflective learning was evident as they developed a “sense of knowing” their child's pain. They drew on embodied knowledge of how their child usually expressed and responded to pain to make pain-related decisions.
The authors concluded that health professionals need to support mothers and parents in developing knowledge, skills and confidence in pain assessment, and should recognize and act on mothers' concerns.
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