FIGURE 2.

Potential benefits of Early Pain Detection (EPD) in neonates. This schematic shows how pain prediction prior to pain onset could create a time window (30‐40 min) for controlling pain using fast‐acting, nonopioid pain medications, for example, intravenous acetaminophen or ibuprofen. The goal of EPD is to “flatten the curve” for the recurring cycle of intermittent postsurgical pain, narcotic treatment, and opioid withdrawal (as shown by larger peaks and valleys), leading to less toxic stress (smaller peaks and valleys) on babies in NICU