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Sweet solutions reduce pain from immunisations. |
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A meta-analysis by Harrison et al. shows that solutions of sucrose and glucose reduce the incidence and duration of crying associated with immunisations in children aged 1 month to 12 months.
Administration of sucrose (and glucose) solutions to neonates undergoing painful procedures such as heel-prick blood testing is widely recommended as there is an abundance of evidence demonstrating its efficacy at reducing pain. However, the evidence base about the use of such solutions in children beyond the neonatal period is sparse and sometimes contradictory. The paper by Harrison et al. in Archives of Disease in Childhood provides robust evidence that sweet solutions also reduce the signs of pain in children aged 1 - 12 months having immunisation. |
