Management of Pain in Cognitively Impaired Children - Literature review Example

Download file to see previous pages Cognitive impairment was at one time defined as having an I.Q level of less than 70, but today often includes problems with the ability to function mentally and to relate adequately with their environment. Cognitive impairment can be caused by several factors described elsewhere in this paper and can be the result of genetic or chromosomal disorders, as well as by injuries or illnesses that occurred during pregnancy or infancy (Siskin, 2008). Scope (2014), describing, in particular, the results of cerebral palsy, defines these as:-
A group of permanent disorders of the development of movement and posture, causing activity limitations that are attributed to non-progressive disturbances that occurred in the developing fetal or infant brain. The motor disorders of cerebral palsy are often accompanied by disturbances of sensation, perception, cognition, communication, and behavior, epilepsy, and by secondary musculoskeletal problems

There are other causes of cognitive impairment, such as infection in the early part of pregnancy; a period of oxygen deprivation to the brain; a brain that has developed abnormally; restricted growth in utero; a perinatal or neonatal stroke; blood conditions such as the quite rare abnormalities in platelets or a genetic link with about 25% of these cases being of genetic origin, ( Daily et al, 2000) or chromosomal variations (Siskin, 2008). Other causes mentioned by Siskin are extreme malnutrition, inadequate medical care during pregnancy and birth, and exposure to toxins in the environment, each of which can also lead to cognitive impairments. Although these are not all forms of cerebral palsy there will often be similarities to the description above. The amount of damage to the brain will not increase over time, but the result is often infantile behavior that continues throughout the child’s life.

Although there may be no cure for their underlying condition, which may have been present from birth, often much can be done to treat particular symptoms, and so these children are often found in the care of pediatric nurses. ...Download file to see next pages Read More