Cerebral palsy pain instruments: Recommended tools for clinical research studies by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Cerebral Palsy Common Data Elements project.
Verónica Schiariti, Angela Shierk, Elaine E Stashinko and 5 others
PMID 37650571WHAT IT FOUND
Fifteen pain assessment tools are recommended for children with cerebral palsy, but none are classified as core.
Most tools target school-aged children who can self-report, leaving significant gaps for non-verbal patients and those with communication challenges.
Key findings
01The review identified 15 recommended pain assessment tools for children with cerebral palsy, but none were classified as core or highly recommended.
02The recommended tools primarily target school-aged children capable of self-reporting, with limited options for infants, toddlers, and non-verbal children.
03Significant gaps exist in tools assessing the impact of chronic pain on sleep, coping strategies, and cultural attitudes.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Only tools published in English were included, potentially excluding culturally specific or international instruments. Many tools were not developed specifically for children with cerebral palsy and did not differentiate between types or motor functional levels. There is a significant lack of validated tools for non-verbal children, those with intellectual disabilities, and for assessing pain impact on sleep and coping. None of the recommended tools were classified as 'Core', indicating limited evidence for their use in this specific population.
Declared interests
The authors stated that they had no interests that might be perceived as posing a conflict or bias.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these tools are validated specifically for cerebral palsy. Many were developed for general pediatric populations and may not account for the unique communication and motor impairments seen in children with CP, particularly those who are non-verbal.