Comfy Kids Team

The Comfy Kids Team is staffed by a Nurse Consultant (specialist nurse) on weekdays, a senior pharmacist in pain management twice a week, and anaesthesia staff from the Department of Children's Anaesthesia.

Daily review of children and adolescents following major surgery or trauma by The Comfy Kids Team on weekdays and an anaesthetist on weekends
Consultancy for children and adolescents who are inpatients and require assessment and management of complex acute pain
Implementation of pain management strategies for ongoing treatments, such as complex wound dressings
Parent and staff education about pain management for children.
Development of pain assessment and management procedures for children.

Common techniques used to manage acute pain include:

Distraction therapy, including books, movies, music and video games
Hypnotherapy
Patient-controlled Analgesia
Analgesic/opioid infusion
Epidural analgesia
Nerve and caudal blocks
Other pain relief medicines that are available in a variety of routes.

Each of these techniques may have specific advantages or disadvantages for an individual patient. The anaesthetist and/or The Comfy Kids Team, in consultation with the patient and their family, will carefully review and assess each patient’s situation before deciding on an appropriate pain management plan.

How to access this service

WCH staff refer patients to the service.

Parents of children booked to have major surgery at the WCH may contact the Nurse Consultant (specialist nurse) for advice and information before admission.

Hours

Weekdays, 8.00am – 4.00pm

The Children's Duty Anaesthetist is available out of hours for acute pain management support and daily review of children requiring management by The Comfy Kids Team over the weekend.