Original Paper

Aim: The main objective of the study was to compare the intensity of pain in children with severe multiple disabilities assessed with three specific scales. Design: A cross-sectional study using the quantitative research methods was conducted. Methods: The study comprised 43 children with severe multiple diseases experiencing pain. The data were collected between March 2013 and November 2013 in hospital and institutional care facilities. Results: The intensity of pain was compared using the Paediatric Pain Profile (PPP), the revised Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (rFLACC) scale and the NonCommunicating Children’s Pain Checklist – Revised (NCCPC-R). At the same time, pain intensity in children with severe multiple disabilities was tested with respect to age and gender. The comparison showed that older children (8–18 years of age) perceived pain more intensely than their younger counterparts. The mean score of pain intensity assessed with the rFLACC scale was 7.19, corresponding with severe pain or discomfort. The results clearly show significant correlations between the scales. The only exception was no statistically significant correlation between the rFLACC and PPP (p = 0.267). To a certain extent, this may be explained by the relatively small sample. Conclusion: Pain intensity in children with severe multiple disabilities assessed with three standardized scales was compared, with the scores obtained by individual scales being similar. The psychometric properties of the PPP and NCCPC-R have not been tested so far.