Stollery Children's Hospital emphasizes managing children's pain

The Stollery Children's Hospital earned ChildKind International certification for pediatric pain care and uses a combined pharmacological, physical and psychological approach to reduce pain and distress for patients.

The Stollery Children's Hospital has been recognized by ChildKind International for how it treats, assesses and manages pain at every level of care. The accreditation reflects changes at the hospital that families say have reduced fear and suffering during medical procedures. Staff report standard training for clinical and non-clinical roles and routine use of measures to limit pain for children. Families, clinicians and leaders describe ongoing work to maintain and improve those practices. Key facts: - The Stollery is one of 23 hospitals worldwide to receive ChildKind certification, which embeds pediatric pain management across the institution. - The hospital uses a "3P" approach: pharmacological (medication), physical (ice, heat, repositioning, splints, movement and rest) and psychological (distraction, comfort holds, reassurance and emotional support). - Practical tools and practices include numbing cream before needles, comfort holds with caregivers, and devices such as Buzzy that use vibration to interrupt pain signals. - Staff training and standardized assessment extend beyond clinical teams to non-patient-facing roles, with leadership and housekeeping also required to acknowledge that pain matters. - The Thomas family described shorter-term changes in how pain is addressed during cancer treatment; a parent now serves as an advisor on the hospital's ChildKind committee. Summary: The ChildKind certification formalizes pain care practices at the Stollery and aims to reduce immediate suffering and the longer-term risks associated with unmanaged acute pain. Hospital leaders say work is underway to address gaps identified during certification and to prepare for future recertification.