Non-pharmacological and non-surgical treatment of pain in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy: A scoping review.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to explore the effectiveness of non-pharmacological and non-surgical pain management interventions, including massage, in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy.
Results Summary
The study found that massage was among the interventions reported to reduce pain in children with cerebral palsy, though the overall level of evidence was low due to limited high-quality studies. Only three randomized controlled trials were included, and pain reduction was noted in 8 out of 13 studies covering various interventions.
Population
Children and adolescents with cerebral palsy or similar conditions.
Effective Dosage
Not available
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
physiotherapy/rehabilitation | decrease | pain | children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) | - | reported pain reduction | #1 |
massage | decrease | pain | children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) | - | reported pain reduction | #2 |
cranial osteopathy | decrease | pain | children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) | - | reported pain reduction | #3 |
swimming and aquatics | decrease | pain | children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) | - | reported pain reduction | #4 |
assistive devices | decrease | pain | children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) | - | reported pain reduction | #5 |
multidisciplinary approach using multifaceted treatment of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapy | increase | pain-relieving effect | children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) | - | recommended to increase | #6 |
physiotherapy | decrease | pain-relieving effects | children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) | - | can have | #7 |
massage | decrease | pain-relieving effects | children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) | - | can have | #8 |
swimming exercise | decrease | pain-relieving effects | children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) | - | can have | #9 |
various assistive devices | decrease | pain-relieving effects | children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) | - | can have | #10 |
PURPOSE: To explore the existing literature on non-pharmacological and non-surgical pain management in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP). METHODS: Databases (Cochrane Library, PubMed MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, and PsycINFO) were systematically searched to identify literature on non-pharmacological and non-surgical interventions for relieving pain in children with CP or similar conditions. RESULTS: Thirteen publications met the inclusion criteria. Based on study designs, the overall level of evidence of the included studies was low, justifying the use of a scoping review. Only three were randomized controlled trials. Pain reduction was reported in 8 of the 13 studies from following interventions: physiotherapy/rehabilitation, massage, cranial osteopathy, swimming and aquatics, and assistive devices. These complementary strategies should not omit conventional treatment, and a multidisciplinary approach using multifaceted treatment of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapy is recommended to increase the pain-relieving effect. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that physiotherapy, massage, swimming exercise, and various assistive devices can have pain-relieving effects. We found limited evidence on the topic of non-pharmacological and non-surgical treatment of pain in children with CP. Due to the lack of power in the included studies, no true evidence-based recommendations can be made from the collected articles; thus, further studies with larger cohorts and more power are needed to substantiate evidence-based treatment of pain in children and adolescents with CP.