The use of sedation and analgesia to provide comfort, safety, and pain treatment are central principles in the care of critically ill children.

Most critically ill children are at risk of experiencing pain and discomfort while in the PICU.

This may be related to patient-specific factors such as their age, ability to communicate, and underlying medical conditions, or PICU-specific factors such as the need for mechanical ventilation, invasive procedures, tolerating medical devices, sleep disruption, and reduced mobility.

Providing sedation and analgesia can help achieve adequate pain relief and comfort whilst also allowing children to synchronize with a ventilator, tolerate the multiple lines and tubes often required in the PICU, and reduce the stress response.

Multiple sedation and analgesia options are available. Oral and intravenous options include alpha2-agonists, benzodiazepines, opiates, propofol, and ketamine.

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