Children feel pain in exactly the same way as adults do. Therefore untreated pain can have the following affects:

• Untreated acute pain can lead to a metabolic changes that increase morbidity and even mortality.
• Untreated acute pain can result in chronic pain.
• Exposure to painful procedures, especially newborn babies, can reset the pain threshold for the rest of the child’s life.
• Untreated pain can cause anxiety, depression irritability and exhaustion.

When a child’s pain is well treated the following can happen:

• Morbidity and even mortality can be decreased.
• The child’s quality of life can be improved.
• Insomnia (poor sleeping) can be reduced.
• Depression in older children and adolescents can be lifted especially if they are experiencing chronic pain