Educational Alternatives, Volume 13, 2015

Abstract: People have different feelings toward pain, and their expressions to medical personnel and caregivers are also different. Children can use appropriate pain rating scales according to their cognitive development to express their subjective feelings about pain. This study investigated children’s reactions to the Pain Scale, and improved the icons for a pain rating scale that is suitable for children, in order to facilitate positive doctor-patient communication. 30 children aged 4-6 as subjects, by one to one interview method; they were asked if they could easily comprehend pain shown by facial expression on the Face Rating Scale and the Oucher Scale. Based on this survey result, we developed a Face Pain Rating Scale, 30 children aged 4-7 were invited to indicate the ranking of intensity of pain. 67% of children can precisely indicate ranking of 6 facial expressions, when facial expressions are more distinctive, they can indicate different degrees of pain.