Thursday, 24. January 2008, 13:36:50
Hi there! Don`t be shocked! This is a post about how kids can express pain. Although some of us can`t speak yet, everybody feels it. You felt it too, when you were younger, and began to hide it when you grew up (Big boys/girls don`t cry!…Do they???). Here`s a small experiment.
According to the IASP (International Association for the Study of Pain), pain can be defined as: “An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with
actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage”.
It is a unique experience for each individual due to physiological, biochemical and pshychological differences between us. It is a subjective sensation and it is not possible to measure it, objectively, by any apparatus.
When a grown up is hurt, he/she may tell you that they are in pain or they can minimalise its intensity. It depends on many factors, but adults tend to be courageous or to exagerate their feelings. It`s a matter of education and culture.
But how do kids do, in this case?
From age of 18 months old, a child can express pain (“Ouch!”) and sometimes can even spot its location. At 3-4 years old they can even express the intensity of it. For those who can`t speak yet, there are scales based upon facial expression, crying, body movements, groaming etc. Kids rarely “invent” their pain without any “lying purpose” (that of skipping school, for example).
Here`s a small experiment done by the “Play Therapy Team” in the “Hospital of Pediatrics” in Brasov: the hospitalized children were asked to express their pain by drawing it…
"A huge monster. PAIN", Alex, age 8.
"I see pain as a dinosaur", Michael,age 11.
"Me when arrived at the hospital" Marius, age 13.
Bianca, age 10. This is my favourite one. You can see the different degrees of pain symbolised by each colour. What comes after the unbearable "black" pain? Nothing. It`s a void, a white empty space. Death?
"I don`t wish anyone such a pain. My name is Vasi and I`ve made this drawing because I once have felt such a pain.When my head aches, my pain feels like drawn here." Vasi, age 11.
Cristina, age 16.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR KIDS! NEVER LET THEM SUFFER! AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!SEE YOU LATER!