CHEOPS scale
Pronunciation: KEE-ops
Also written as: CHEOPS — Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale
Behavioral pain assessment tool for children evaluating Crying, facial expression, verbal expression, torso position, leg position, and motor restlessness.
Full Definition
The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale is a validated behavioral pain assessment instrument designed for children aged 1-7 years. The scale evaluates six behavioral indicators: crying, facial expression, verbal expression, torso position, leg position, and motor restlessness, with scores ranging from 4-13. Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity. Unlike simpler pain scales, CHEOPS provides detailed behavioral criteria for each component, making it particularly useful for comprehensive postoperative pain assessment in verbal and nonverbal pediatric patients.
Usage
Usage note: More detailed than FLACC but requires more time to complete
In Context
- "The CHEOPS scale score of 9 indicated moderate pain requiring immediate intervention." — postoperative pain assessment
- "Nursing staff used the CHEOPS scale to monitor pain trends throughout the child's recovery period." — pediatric recovery unit protocol