Helping Your Child With Pain
Plan Your Visit
Here are some age-appropriate tips to help your child with pain while at a Norton Children’s Hospital or Norton Children’s Medical Center.
Infants (Birth to 12 months)
- You can ask to remain with your child during procedures.
- Comfort your child using lullaby music and using soft touches.
- Assume a natural swaddling position.
- Request sucrose during painful procedures (under 6 months).
- Turn down the lights and avoid loud noises.
- Use comfort positioning when possible. This is a holding technique that provides comfort during procedures. Your child life therapist can help with comfort positioning tips.
Toddlers (1 to 3 years)
- You can ask to remain with your child during procedures.
- Familiarize your child with the hospital and procedures through simple medical play with a doll.
- Keep favorite items such as a blanket, toy or stuffed animal close to your child.
- Use age-appropriate items to distract your child.
- Request a numbing agent for procedures involving needle sticks.
- Request to use a treatment room for painful procedures.
- Keep routines as normal and consistent as possible.
- Use comfort positioning when possible. This is a holding technique that provides comfort during procedures. Your child life therapist can help with comfort positioning tips.
Preschool (3 to 6 years)
- You can ask to remain with your child during procedures.
- Familiarize your child with the hospital and procedures through simple medical play with a doll.
- Encourage your child to handle medical supplies through play.
- Give your child clear and direct explanations about procedures.
- Reinforce that illness, tests and procedures are not your child’s fault.
- Give your child a job to involve them in the care and treatment.
- Use age-appropriate items to distract your child.
- Request to use a treatment room for painful procedures.
- Reward your child often for positive outcomes and cooperation.
- Request a numbing agent for procedures involving needle sticks.
- Use comfort positioning when possible. This is a holding technique that provides comfort during procedures. Your child life therapist can help with comfort positioning tips.
School-Age (7 to 12 years)
- You can ask to remain with your child during procedures.
- Prepare your child by providing simple explanations through play.
- Request a numbing agent for procedures involving injections.
- Request to use a treatment room for painful procedures.
- Use age-appropriate items to distract your child.
- Encourage relaxation with quiet music, guided imagery or deep breathing.
- Offer your child choices during painful procedures.
- Coach your child through the procedure and remind them the pain will not last forever.
- Reward your child often for positive outcomes and cooperation.
Teenagers (13 to 17 years)
- Caregivers can request to remain with teens.
- Prepare your teen by providing an explanation and encouraging questions.
- Request a numbing agent for procedures involving needle sticks.
- Encourage relaxation with quiet music, guided imagery, deep breathing or massage.
- Involve your teen in all decisions related to care and procedures.
- Encourage socialization with friends and family.
- Coach your teen through the procedure and remind him or her the pain will not last forever.
- Stress positive outcomes related to the painful experience.
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