Patient portal
The Pain Unit at SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital offers specialised and comprehensive care to children and adolescents with acute and chronic pain, both in hospital and on an outpatient basis.
Pain in the paediatric population can have a significant impact on the quality of life and the emotional, social, sporting and academic development of this group of patients. For this reason, at SJD Barcelona we have a dedicated unit for the assessment, treatment and follow-up of children and adolescents with acute and chronic pain.
The Unit’s care model combines the expertise of professionals from different disciplines and is tailored to the needs of each patient and their family. To this end, it integrates specialist assessment, pharmacological treatment and interventional techniques, alongside a multi- and interdisciplinary approach specifically geared towards patients with chronic pain.
The Unit’s work is organised on a cross-disciplinary basis, ensuring coordination between the various professionals and continuity of care throughout the entire process.
How the Unit Works
The Pain Unit operates on an interdisciplinary model, bringing together professionals from the fields of nursing, anaesthetology, paediatrics, rehabilitation, mental health, integrative medicine, social work and gynaecology. This structure enables a coordinated approach across different care settings to manage both acute and chronic pain.
The coordinating team, comprising professionals from the fields of nursing, anaesthetology and paediatrics, oversees the work of the various departments and, together with specialists from other disciplines, provides a comprehensive assessment of patients. This is particularly important in cases of persistent pain or those of greater clinical complexity.
These professionals also take part in team meetings and a clinical committee on chronic pain to analyse complex cases, develop joint care strategies, share knowledge across specialities, update protocols and clinical guidelines, and promote research and the continuous improvement of patient care.
Why the SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital?
The unit is specifically designed for children and adolescents with acute and chronic pain who require specialist assessment and treatment.
The approach combines various techniques tailored to each patient’s needs and, in addition to medical and pharmacological treatment, includes psychological intervention, rehabilitation, interventional techniques and integrative medicine.
We work using an interdisciplinary approach involving professionals from paediatrics, anaesthetology, nursing and other specialities within the hospital, which enables us to provide a comprehensive assessment and an individualised treatment plan that addresses physical, emotional and social aspects.
We run a telephone follow-up programme for patients who are unable to travel to the centre and require care and support in their own home environment.
We liaise with other healthcare centres and services, such as Hospital Clínic and the regional mental health services, to ensure continuity of care for patients. We also play an active role in the Catalan Pain Society and the Regional Pain Commission of the Barcelona Metropolitan South Health Region.
consultations of hospitalised patients with acute pain.
consultations of hospitalised patients with chronic pain.
2025 Data.
Specialisms and services
The Pain Unit is staffed by professionals from the fields of anaesthesiology, rehabilitation, psychology, psychiatry, nursing and paediatrics.
Team
The Pain Unit is made up of professionals who coordinate and take part in the Unit’s clinical, teaching and research activities.
Furthermore, the Unit is organised into two main areas dedicated to the management of chronic and acute pain in paediatric patients. Professionals in both areas work in coordination with the Unit’s management team and other hospital departments to ensure comprehensive and personalised care.
- Víctor Ribes Carreño
- Elena Flores Márquez
- David Rodríguez Morante
- Esther Martínez García
- Cristina López San Román Fernández
- Pelayo Floréz Fernández
- Alicia Chamizo Bremer
- Maria Farré Pinilla
- Ligia Mª Pérez Cubias
- Cristina Macías Borras
Research
The Pain Unit at SJD Barcelona is committed to research and innovation as the cornerstones for advancing our understanding of the prevention, assessment and treatment of paediatric pain. Our professionals take part in research projects aimed at developing and evaluating new therapeutic strategies and innovative tools, including digital interventions and neuromodulation techniques.
Featured projects:
- Effectiveness and implementation of a digital intervention for chronic pain in children, co-designed with patients (Digital SPA). Principal investigator: Rocío de la Vega. Universidad de Málaga.
- Development, implementation and effectiveness of a digital treatment programme for adolescents with chronic pain (DigiDOL-Ad). Principal investigator: Jordi Miró Martínez. Principal investigator at SJD Barcelona: Víctor Hugo González Cárdenas. Organising institution: Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV).
- Safety and efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in paediatric patients with neuropsychiatric disorders. Principal investigator: Dr Alejandra Climent. Funding body: Sant Joan de Déu Private Foundation for Research and Teaching.
The Unit’s research activity is integrated with clinical practice, promoting the responsible adoption of new therapeutic tools and contributing to the development of paediatric pain management based on evidence, innovation and the needs of each patient.
Teaching
The Unit runs an ongoing programme of training aimed at healthcare professionals in training and specialists, with a view to keeping their knowledge up to date and improving their skills in the comprehensive management of paediatric pain.
- External training: an open course has been launched to share the experience of the model developed at SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital and to contribute to the training of professionals interested in the comprehensive management of chronic paediatric pain.
- In-house training: We regularly hold literature review sessions, scientific update sessions and specific training aimed at maintaining professional competence. We also contribute to the training of other hospital staff through courses, workshops and clinical sessions relating to pain management and sedoanalgesia.
- Resident training: we train paediatric, nursing and anaesthetics residents, who also gain practical experience during their clinical rotations and consultations carried out by the unit.