Cochrane: Do sweet tasting solutions reduce pain during
needles in children aged from one to 16 years, compared to no treatment,
water, other non-sweet solutions, or other interventions such as
non-nutritive sucking (babies) or sweet foods or chewing gum (children),
topical anaesthetics, music, and distraction?
Small amounts of sweet tasting sugar solutions given orally to babies before and during painful needles significantly reduces distress. However it was not known if the same pain-reducing effects of sweet solutions occurred in children older than one year of age. We therefore examined studies looking at pain-reducing effects of sweet solutions such as sucrose or glucose for painful needle procedures in children aged one to 16 years.
Small amounts of sweet tasting sugar solutions given orally to babies before and during painful needles significantly reduces distress. However it was not known if the same pain-reducing effects of sweet solutions occurred in children older than one year of age. We therefore examined studies looking at pain-reducing effects of sweet solutions such as sucrose or glucose for painful needle procedures in children aged one to 16 years.
Based on the eight studies included in this systematic review update, there is insufficient evidence of the analgesic
effects of sweet tasting solutions or substances during acutely painful
procedures in young children between one and four years of age. Further
rigorously conducted, adequately powered RCTs are warranted in this population. Based on the two studies by the same author, there was no evidence of analgesic
effects of sweet taste in school-aged children. As there are other
effective evidence-based strategies available to use in this age group,
further trials are not warranted.
Despite the addition of four studies in this review, conclusions have not changed since the last version of the review.
Despite the addition of four studies in this review, conclusions have not changed since the last version of the review.