"My Hurts": Hospitalized Young Children's Perceptions of Acute Pain

Abstract

A qualitative method was used to study hospitalized young children's perceptions of their pain experiences. Participating were 11 children (ages 2 1/2 to 6 1/2 years) who had received surgical intervention. Participant observation and interviews were used to study the children's pain experiences. Each child also participated in a formal interview that combined play or drawing with a semistructured interview format. Data analysis occurred concurrently with data collection, consistent with the grounded theory technique. Findings revealed that the children experienced many different types of pain, which they defined as "my hurts." Their hurts were all perceived as "bad." Preferred care practices were also identified. Information from this investigation will help sensitize professionals to how to better care for young children in pain.