The 'Neonatal Pain Research' Special Interest Group

Welcome to the Special Interest Group on Neonatal Pain Research of the European Society for Paediatric Research (ESPR)

The Neonatal Pain Research SIG brings together a passionate and dedicated international, multidisciplinary network of ESPR researchers and clinicians with various backgrounds committed to improving neonatal pain and stress management. Through international and multidisciplinary collaborations in areas including pain assessment, non-pharmacological and pharmacological pain management, prevention of pain, parental involvement, and the long-term outcomes of neonatal pain and stress, we aim not only to advance scientific knowledge but also to improve clinical care for newborn infants.

• Our objectives
  The overall aims of the Neonatal Pain Research SIG are to:

  • Foster and strengthen international, multidisciplinary collaboration among ESPR members, researchers, clinicians, and other stakeholders with an interest in neonatal pain and stress.
  • Initiate, facilitate, and conduct multicenter and international collaborative research projects that advance scientific knowledge and improve clinical care and outcomes for newborn infants, including the development of shared research priorities, study protocols, and data-sharing initiatives where appropriate.
  • Promote excellence in neonatal pain and stress research, including pain assessment, prevention, non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions, parental involvement, and the long-term consequences of neonatal pain and stress.
  • Serve as an expert and advisory network, contributing to consensus statements, Delphi studies, guideline development, surveys, and other collaborative initiatives in the field of neonatal pain and stress.
  • Facilitate networking and knowledge exchange, creating opportunities for collaboration and broadening the professional networks of SIG members.
  • Support and mentor early-career researchers and clinicians, creating opportunities for education, networking, and collaborative research.
  • Promote education and training by organising workshops, webinars, and scientific sessions on neonatal pain and stress management.

  Through these activities, the Neonatal Pain Research SIG aims to build a vibrant international community that accelerates innovation, fosters collaboration, and ultimately improves the care and long-term outcomes of neonates exposed to pain and stress.
• SIG Chair and members

  Gerbrich van den Bosch, MD, PhD Chair Neonatal Pain Research SIG Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands	Sinno Simons, MD, PhD Founder Neonatal Pain Research SIG Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands	Karel Allegaert, MD, PhD KU Leuven, and Erasmus MC Rotterdam Belgium, and the Netherlands	Xavier Durrmeyer, MD, PhD Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Créteil / Faculté de Santé de Créteil, UPEC France
  Emma Olsson, RN, PhD School of Health Sciences Örebro University Sweden	Manon Tauzin, MD Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Créteil France	Mats Eriksson, RN, PhD School of Health Sciences, Örebro University Sweden	Giacomo Cavallaro, MD, PhD Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan Italy
  Iryna Sarapuk, , MD, PhD, DSc I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University Ukraine	Halyna Pavlyshyn, MD, PhD, DSc I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University Ukraine	Rikke Louise Stenkjaer, RN, PhD Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet Denmark	Gudrún Kristjánsdóttir, RN, Dr.PH/PhD, CNS Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Iceland Iceland
  Erik Koning University Mecical Center Groningen, the Netherlands	Tiina Ukkonen, MD Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland. Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
• Publications

  - Pain management in preterm infants with necrotizing enterocolitis: an international expert consensus statement. Ten Barge JA, van den Bosch GE, Allegaert K, Bhatt A, Brindley N, Byrne D, Campbell-Yeo M, Camprubi-Camprubi M, Cavallaro G, Durrmeyer X, Embleton N, Eriksson M, Flint RB, Garrido F, Giannì ML, Giannoni E, Kitt H, Klerk D, Kristjánsdóttir G, Amponsah AK, Lapillonne A, Martin CR, Matyas M, Norman E, Ohja S, Pirlotte S, Del Rio R, Roué JM, Sevivas C, Slater R, Smits A, de Pipaon MS, Tauzin M, Ukkonen T, Unal S, Villamor E, Molloy EJ, Simons SHP. Eur J Pediatr. 2025 May 14;184(6):342. doi: 10.1007/s00431-025-06168-8.

  - Global cross-sectional survey on neonatal pharmacologic sedation and analgesia practices and pain assessment tools: impact of the sociodemographic index (SDI). Arribas C, Cavallaro G, Gonzalez JL, Lagares C, Raffaeli G, Smits A, Simons SHP, Villamor E, Allegaert K, Garrido F; ESPR Special Interest Group for Neonatal Pain. Pediatr Res. 2024 Sep;96(4):964-975. doi: 10.1038/s41390-024-03032-7. Epub 2024 Feb 13. PMID: 38351093

  - Current pain management practices for preterm infants with necrotizing enterocolitis: a European survey. Ten Barge JA, van den Bosch GE, Meesters NJ, Allegaert K, Arribas C, Cavallaro G, Garrido F, Raffaeli G, Vermeulen MJ, Simons SHP; ESPR Special Interest Group for Neonatal Pain and the NEC Pain Study Group. Pediatr Res. 2023 Aug;94(2):555-563. doi: 10.1038/s41390-023-02508-2. Epub 2023 Feb 24. PMID: 36828969

  - A global cross-sectional survey on neonatal analgosedation: unveiling global trends and challenges through latent class analysis. Arribas C, Cavallaro G, Decembrino N, González JL, Lagares C, Raffaeli G, Smits A, Simons SPH, Villamor E, Allegaert K, Garrido F; ESPR Special Interest Group for Neonatal Pain. Eur J Pediatr. 2025 Mar 12;184(4):241. doi: 10.1007/s00431-025-06074-z.
  PMID: 40072677

  - Ullsten A, Beken S, Campbell-Yeo M, Cavallaro G, Decembrino N, Durrmeyer X, Garrido F, Kristjánsdóttir G, Amponsah A, Lago P, Haslund-Thomsen H, Ojha S, Pölkki T, Gomez M, Roue J-M, Simons S, Slater R, Stenkjaer R-L, Ünal S, Bosch G, Wielenga J, Eriksson M (2024) Parents in Neonatal Pain Management—An International Survey of Parent-Delivered Interventions and Parental Pain Assessment. Children 11:1105. 10.3390/children11091105

  - Analgesia and sedation in premature infants receiving invasive ventilation: a systematic scoping review. Moultrie F, Durrmeyer X, van den Bosch GE, Tauzin M, Roué JM, Olsson E, Cobo MM, Baxter L, Iyer S, Bhatt A, Simons SHP, Slater R. Pediatr Res. 2025 Nov 20:10.1038/s41390-025-04441-y. doi: 10.1038/s41390-025-04441-y. Online ahead of print.
• Upcoming meetings of the SIG

  The SIG holds virtual meetings every three months and aims to organise one in-person meeting each year during an international neonatal conference, such as the Congress of Joint European Neonatal Societies (jENS) or the Congress of the European Academy of Paediatric Societies (CEPAS).
• How to engage with us

  Please contact the ESPR Secretariat via office@espr.eu. We will be more than happy to forward your request to the members of the 'Neonatal Pain Research' SIG.