How can I help my child cope with having a medical procedure or hospital stay?

Many young children need a medical procedure at some stage. This may include:

• a blood test
• an injection
• stitches
• an x-ray
• an operation

Many people find medical procedures scary. This can be especially true for children.

Your doctor or hospital staff will do their best to make procedures, surgery or hospital visits as comfortable as possible. But you know your child best.

Your child may be worried, anxious or distressed. You have an important role to play in reassuring them and reducing any anxiety and discomfort they may experience.

Preparing for the procedure or hospital stay

Children usually prefer to have a parent with them during a medical procedure, so it’s important for you to be prepared.

Ask your child's doctor to explain what the procedure involves, using questions such as:

• Why is it needed?
• Who will perform the procedure?
• How long will it last?
• What will happen during the procedure?
• Which medicines will be used (such as anaesthetics)?
• How will staff try to minimise my child's discomfort?
• How can I prepare my child for the procedure?

The healthdirect Question Builder can help you prepare for the procedure by creating a list of things to ask your doctor or hospital staff.

ASK YOUR DOCTOR — Preparing for an appointment? Use the Question Builder for general tips on what to ask your GP or specialist.

Make sure you understand enough about the procedure so you can explain it to your child. Tell them simply and honestly:

• why the procedure needs to be done
• where it will be done
• who will do it
• what will happen
• how it might feel
• when it will happen

Use language your child understands. Make sure they understand that the procedure will only happen to the body part that needs it. Focus on the benefits of the procedure.

You can also explain the procedure through play, for example, by demonstrating what will happen on a doll.

Try to practise beforehand. You could have your child practise sitting still, deep breathing or singing a song that you will use to distract them during the procedure.

Some hospitals have play therapists (also known as child life therapists) who can help you and your child prepare for the procedure. Call ahead to ask your doctor or hospital staff if this service is available, especially if your child is anxious about their procedure.

On the day

You can help reduce your child's anxiety by bringing a favourite toy or something to distract them, such as a doll, tablet or book.

Keep very young children calm by:

• rocking them
• patting or stroking them
• kangaroo care (skin-to-skin contact)
• singing
• breastfeeding

Learn more about how to manage pain in babies.

For toddlers and older children, you can try:

• hugging them
• blowing bubbles
• playing with an interactive book
• singing
• playing a counting game
• helping them to breathe deeply and 'blow away' any scary feelings or pain

During the procedure

The medical staff will talk to you about your role during the procedure. You should try to stay with your child.

If your child is having a general anaesthetic, it's helpful to be there when they wake up. If you can't be with your child, ask someone who your child knows well to be with them instead.

During the procedure, you may be asked to hold your child to keep them still. In some cases, you may simply need to hold their hand to comfort them. It can be helpful to give your child some control. They could, for example, decide where they want to sit, or ‘help the nurse’ by keeping their arm still.

Praise your child throughout the procedure. If they cry, let them know that’s okay.

It’s important for you to try to stay calm yourself. If you are anxious, your child may notice this and become worried too. Prepare ways to keep yourself calm and as relaxed as possible on the day of the procedure.

Medicines that may be used for a procedure

Depending on the procedure, your child may be offered medicine to reduce their pain and make them more comfortable.

• local anaesthetic cream to numb the skin before procedures such as injections
• sucrose solution — a sugar and water solution that can be given by mouth to infants under 18 months to comfort them
• pain-relief medicines, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen
• sedation — sometimes used to make children feel sleepy and relaxed

Distraction techniques to reduce pain and anxiety

Another way to reduce pain and anxiety in children during medical procedures is distraction. Here, you can help your child to focus on something other than the procedure. Some useful techniques include:

• blowing bubbles
• looking at an interactive book
• watching a video or playing with an app
• playing with a toy
• singing or listening to calm music
• breathing slowly or relaxing muscles one by one
• thinking about a favourite place (imagining what they can see, hear, feel, taste and smell)

Recovery after the procedure or hospital stay

Straight after the procedure, stay with your child and comfort them. Feeding infants may help to calm them.

Staff will talk to you about how to care for your child at home, including giving them pain relief, and when you need to come back to see the doctor.

If they have been in hospital, you will be given a discharge plan so you know what to do.

Sometimes, children's behaviour changes after a medical procedure. You might notice your child is clingy or behaves 'younger' than before. This is common and will disappear with time.

It can help to talk to your child about the procedure afterwards and praise them for what they did to cope. You can have them draw a picture about what happened. Discussing what they did well can help them manage another procedure in the future, if needed.

Resources and support

The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne has created useful guides on your child’s hospital stay and reducing your child's discomfort during procedures. They also have factsheets in languages other than English.

The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network also has information on supporting your child during painful procedures.