Which pain measurement tool is appropriate for assessing pain in a 12-month-old infant post-hernia repair surgery?

The FLACC scale is the most appropriate tool for assessing pain in a 12-month-old infant post-hernia repair surgery. The FLACC scale evaluates pain based on five observable behaviors: facial expression, leg movement, activity level, crying, and consolation needs. This tool is particularly well-suited for non-verbal children who cannot accurately self-report their pain levels. Infants and toddlers may not have the ability to describe their pain in words, making observational tools like FLACC essential in clinical settings.

On the other hand, the Wong-Baker FACES scale, while useful for older children who can understand and express themselves through faces, is not suitable for infants. The numeric pain scale relies on a child's ability to understand numbers and associate them with pain intensity, which is not appropriate for infants who lack that cognitive development. Similarly, the verbal rating scale requires the individual to articulate pain levels verbally, which a 12-month-old is unable to do. Thus, the FLACC tool stands out as the best choice for this age group in assessing pain following surgery.