The Child Health Field’s journal, Evidence-Based Child Health, has published an overview of Cochrane evidence on reducing and preventing procedural pain for kids. The kids in the studies included in this synthesis ranged in age from infancy (but not newborns) up to 19 years. The overview found three main conclusions:

1. Behavioural therapies, such as showing videos to kids to distract them during a procedure, are effective and inexpensive, and should be used.
2. Sweet-tast…ing substances have proven pain-reducing effect for procedures in early infancy, but have not been shown to have similar effect in older children.
3. Amethocaine, a topical anaesthetic, works and should be used.