Description:
The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) is a self-report pain scale where the child rates their pain from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable). It is most effective for children who can understand numerical concepts and express pain verbally.
Key Measures
- Pain Intensity: 0 (No Pain) to 10 (Severe Pain)
- Best for: Older children (ages 7+) who understand numbers
Access the NRS
Pros of using the NRS
✅ Simple and quick – Easy to administer and requires no special training.
✅ Highly responsive – Can track changes in pain over time, making it useful for pain management plans.
✅ Well-validated for older children – Works well for those who can reliably use numbers to describe pain intensity.
✅ Useful in clinical and home settings – Can be used by doctors, therapists, and parents.
Cons of using the NRS
❌ Not suitable for young or non-verbal children – Requires cognitive ability to understand numerical values.
❌ Highly subjective – A “5/10” pain for one child might be a “7/10” for another, making it hard to compare results between individuals.
❌ May not capture emotional distress – Focuses only on pain intensity, not the child’s emotional response to pain.