Using Sugar Water to Relieve Pain in Infants

Effectiveness of Sucrose Analgesia in Reducing Pain Responses in Infants Born to Diabetic and Non-diabetic Mothers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study will examine the safety and effectiveness of sugar water to relieve pain in newborn infants during painful blood tests and injections. Infants of diabetic mothers who receive repeated blood tests will be compared to infants of healthy mothers who receive routine painful procedures.

We believe that administration of sucrose analgesia for every painful cutaneous procedure performed after delivery will result in less pain during the newborn infant screening test.

Inclusion Criteria:

• healthy newborn infants ≥36 weeks gestation
• infants born to mothers with diabetes (type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes that is diet-controlled or insulin-dependent)and infants born to mothers without diabetes

Exclusion Criteria:

• Admission to the neonatal intensive care unit
• plan to undergo circumcision during the study period
• major congenital or neurological anomalies
• clinical diagnosis of birth asphyxia or seizures
• receiving analgesics or sedatives