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Children's painful procedures and operations - how can parents help?

Disclaimer: This fact sheet is for education purposes only. Please consult with your doctor or other health professional to make sure this information is right for your child.

Medical procedures can be uncomfortable or painful sometimes. Hospital staff will use various methods to reduce your child’s pain and discomfort. It is important that pain is managed.

As a parent you know your child best, and can therefore greatly assist staff in helping your child cope with the procedure or surgery.

Things you can do

• Talk to your child’s doctor about the procedure/operation that has been scheduled. Be sure to ask any questions that you may have.
• Provide your child with simple and honest information.
• Answer any questions that your child may have. If you don’t know the answer to your child’s questions try to find out (eg. ask your child’s doctor or a nurse).
• During a procedure is not the best time to provide your child with long explanations for why they need to have the procedure or about what is happening. It is better to give such explanations beforehand.
• It is generally helpful for a child to have a parent present during a painful procedure and/or when your child wakes up after surgery. If you feel unable to be present think about arranging for another person your child is comfortable with to be present.
• Distraction is often helpful during a procedure. Distraction involves encouraging your child to focus on things other than the medical procedure. For example: blowing bubbles, looking at pop-up or other interesting picture books, watching a video, or playing with rattles or other favourite toys.
• Use of relaxation strategies may be helpful. It is important that they are practiced beforehand. There are many ways to relax. Some of these include:
• slow breathing techniques
• mental imagery: this may involve picturing oneself in a favourite place by imagining what you can see, hear, feel, taste and smell
• muscle relaxation techniques
• listening to music.
• Praise the child for any attempts at using helpful coping strategies.
• If your child cries because of the pain let him or her know that it is OK to feel upset.
• It can be helpful to give your child some control over what is happening; this needs to be discussed with the nurse and/or doctor.

• As a parent you know your child best, and can therefore greatly assist staff in helping your child cope with the procedure or surgery.
• Be honest and calm when informing your child about the procedure and answering his/her questions.
• Decide on which coping strategies you and your child think would be most helpful.
• It is generally helpful for a child to have a parent present during a painful procedure and/or when your child wakes up after surgery. If you feel unable to be present think about arranging for another person your child is comfortable with to be present.

More information on helping children cope with painful procedures is available from the following web-site: www.pediatric-pain.ca/selfhp.html.

The Children's Hospital at Westmead Tel: (02) 9845 3585 Fax: (02) 9845 3562 www.chw.edu.au	Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick Tel: (02) 9382 1688 Fax: (02) 9382 1451 www.sch.edu.au	Kaleidoscope, Hunter Children's Health Network Tel: (02) 4921 3670 Fax: (02) 4921 3599 www.kaleidoscope.org.au