Pediatric sedation and analgesia in a developing country

The management of acute pain and anxiety in children undergoing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures has developed substantially in the past two decades. An increase in the numbers of investigations and non-surgical interventions in children has created an enormous demand for sedation services. Procedural sedation and analgesia for children is now widely practiced by a various group of the specialists. The goal of procedural sedation is the safe and effective control of pain, anxiety and motion as well as to provide an appropriate degree of memory loss or decreased awareness. Short-acting, rapid onset drugs with little adverse effects and improved safety profiles are replacing outdated regimens. This article is to discuss the decision-making process used to determine appropriate drug selection, dosing and sedation endpoint. It also reviews the current status of sedation and analgesia for pediatric
procedures in a developing country.