Can Sharing Improve Caring? A Call to Prioritize Shared Decision Making in Pediatric Pain Management

Objective: Families and children are not consistently included in pediatric pain management decisions. Shared decision making (SDM) is a collaborative process where health care professionals (HCPs) and families exchange information about treatment options along with families' preferences to make an optimal health decision. SDM is recommended and beneficial for children, parents, and HCPs alike; however, the process of SDM has not been routinely integrated into pediatric pain management, despite families' desire to be involved in these decisions. In this commentary, we discuss the implications of the dearth of literature about SDM in pediatric pain on clinical practice and highlight the potential benefits of engaging in SDM to improve pain management. Method: This commentary will describe clinical approaches and considerations to implementing SDM in pediatric pain management, such as consideration of families' preferences for SDM, the quality of the evidence, and decisional complexity. Results: This commentary will propose recommendations to further advance the understanding and utility of SDM in pediatric pain, such as identifying opportunities to engage in SDM as well as factors that support its implementation. Conclusions: SDM provides a rich and structured opportunity to engage children and families in their care, while also creating opportunities for HCPs to engage in evidence-based practice. As such, SDM should be recognized as a key priority when engaging in best practices for pediatric pain management.