Healthcare procedures are often stressful and frightening experiences for children and families. Giving children strategies for coping with these procedures will help them to have:

• A sense of control over the experience
• A feeling of participating in their own care, leading to increased self-esteem
• A positive and effective coping strategy to use during future procedures
• A better overall experience

Helpful hints

• Be honest with your child. Talk to him about the procedure by explaining what he will see, feel and hear.
• Tell the staff what helps your child.
• Focus on and talk about positive topics.
• Be positive and encouraging to your child.
• Praise your child during and after the procedure for doing all the things that are asked of him or her, such as holding still.
• Talk in a calm quiet voice.
• Position yourself so he or she can see or touch you while you hold a hand or rub the forehead or cheek.
• Ask questions to prepare yourself for the procedure.

Common coping strategies you can use with your child during healthcare procedures

Breathing and blowing

Items to use: bubbles, pinwheel, kazoo, party blower or harmonica

Tips on using breathing and blowing to help your child cope with a medical procedure

• Practice slowly breathing in and out with your child to help him or her relax.
• Let your child watch you take deep breaths if he or she does not want to join in.
• Breathe together so that your child can hear, see and copy you.
• Make the breathing activity into a game: count how long you can blow, or blow big bubbles rather than small bubbles.
• Explain to teens that deep breathing can help the body relax and may make the procedure easier and faster.

Distraction

Items to use: magic wand, pop-up book, sound book, electronic hand-held game, or portable CD player or tape player

Tips on using distraction to help your child cope with a medical procedure

• Distraction helps your child to focus on something interesting and fun.
• Participate in the activity with your child.
• Make sure the item you are using will hold your child’s interest.
• Let your child hold and play with the item. If this is not possible, let him or her tell you what to do with the item; for example, when to turn the page or push the music buttons on the book.

Imagination

Items to use: relaxation tape, music box, storybook, portable CD player or tape player, and your child’s imagination.

Tips on using imagination to help your child cope with a medical procedure

• Using imagination may involve making up stories or using your child's imagination to think of a special place he or she would like to be.
• You know your child best. Do what works for your child. For example, if your child’s story is silly but distracting, follow his or her lead.
• Allow your child to make choices and ask questions that will keep his or her interest.
• Practice before the procedure. Your child can better concentrate on learning new coping skills before, rather than in the middle of, a procedure.

Physical touch

Items to use: a blanket, a favorite stuffed animal and yourself!

Tips on using physical touch to help your child cope with a medical procedure

• Hold or sit next to your child on the exam table or at the bedside.
• Sit or lie alongside your child and stay where your child can see you.
• Rub your child’s back, arm and forehead using long slow strokes.
• Speak or sing into your child’s ear in soft, soothing tones. This will help your child focus on you instead of the procedure.

Coping strategies by age

Infant

• Holding your baby
• Speaking in a soft voice
• Playing music or singing
• Offering a pacifier
• Shaking rattles

Toddler

• Holding your toddler
• Playing music, singing or reciting nursery rhymes
• Reading pop-up and sound books
• Blowing bubbles
• Spinning pinwheels

Preschool

• Blowing bubbles
• Spinning pinwheels
• Reading pop-up and sound books
• Playing music and singing
• Counting
• Talking about favorite things such as a pet or a favorite place

School-age

• Picking a favorite place or thing to talk about such as a TV show or cartoon character
• Playing music
• Squeezing a ball
• Using a magic wand
• Breathing with slow deep breaths
• Reading pop-up and sound books
• Playing with noise-making items

Adolescent

• Picking a favorite place or thing to talk about or imagine
• Playing music on a portable music player
• Playing a hand held game
• Breathing with slow deep breaths
• Relaxing muscles
• Squeezing a ball