August 14, 2025
Cameron Nagel talks pain management with Child Life Specialist Alison Naylor. Photo credit by Evan Isbister
Story by Marni Kuhlmann | Photo and video by Evan Isbister
EDMONTON — The Stollery Children’s Hospital is celebrating international recognition, becoming a certified ChildKind hospital for excellence in providing pediatric pain care. It’s an achievement shared with just 20 other hospitals around the world.
ChildKind International (CKI) is non-profit organization, dedicated to improving pediatric pain care around the world. CKI works with healthcare facilities to assess efforts made to reduce pain and promote comfort for pediatric patients. Receiving CKI certification demonstrates to the world that a hospital meets high standards for pain management best practices.
“We’re really proud of the work we’ve done and what it means for our patients. We know that all children — from infancy to adulthood- feel pain and deserve proper care for it. Sadly, this wasn’t always the case,” says Dr. Samina Ali, pediatric emergency physician and co-medical lead of CKI efforts at the Stollery.
“As recently as the 1980s, newborn babies around the world were still having heart surgery without pain medications. We now know that this is wrong, and that untreated pain has short- and long-term consequences, including neurodevelopmental and socio-emotional problems.
“Most importantly, pain management is a fundamental human right, and we believe in providing the best pain care at the Stollery.”
One parent who appreciates this is Dana Nagel: “It’s incredibly difficult to see your child in pain.”
Her 15-year-old son, Cameron, has been in and out of the hospital all his life. He’s undergone more than 70 surgeries, and many IVs, pokes and infusions.
“At times, pain made Cameron a shell of himself. His personality changed when he was having to deal with chronic pain. Having this team doing everything they can to recognize and treat Cameron’s pain, has brought a real sense of relief. He’s happier, he seems to heal quicker, and is more cooperative with procedures because he knows people will listen to him and believe him when he says he’s in pain.”
Reducing pain in children brings an improved quality of life, faster recovery, and fewer long-term health issues. It also alleviates parental anxiety and creates a better healthcare experience for the whole family.
“When we listen to children, and manage their pain appropriately, everyone’s stress goes down,” says Alison Naylor, Child Life specialist at the Stollery.
“Pain management doesn’t have to be complicated and doesn’t always include medication. Things like, batching painful procedures, using comfort holds during procedures, or distraction with bubbles, music or technology, can all make a big difference in reducing the pain a child feels.”
To become CKI-accredited, hospitals must demonstrate that they uphold all the pain principles outlined by CKI. The accreditation process takes years, as the CKI team analyzes programs and provides ongoing feedback, prior to a comprehensive site visit. Hospitals that receive a CKI designation must maintain the same standard of excellence for recertification every five years. Learn more about ChildKind International.
