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Taking your child to a hospital emergency room is never a pleasant experience.

But many hospitals are working to make minor medical emergencies less traumatic for children, and more of a positive experience.

Five-year-old Nathylla has just arrived in the E-R, and is scared. She needs stitches for the deep cut on her eyebrow.

Topical anesthetic will make her procedure relatively painless. The concern now is controlling the young girl’s fear.

“If the child is crying and they’re injured, it’s an alarming event for the parents too,” says Dr. Lonnie King of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. “But if you can be calm and reassuring – because children will feed off our anxiety. If a child senses that the parent is scared, anxious, frightened – if they’re crying too when the child is crying, they feed on that, it makes matters worse.”

The doctor brings in a child life specialist, a person trained to help a child and their family through the stress of a medical emergency.

“They can distract the child while we’re doing the procedure,” says Dr. King.  “They can engage the parents and tell them, teach them how to engage the child, to distract the child.

The combination of distraction, topical anesthetic and a friendly environment can help an injured child relax – and help the doctor address their pain.

“Because children will not report pain,” says Dr. King. “They will tell you they don’t hurt – because they’re afraid they’re going to get a shot, or something bad is going to happen if they tell them if they have pain. So addressing all those issues can make the experience go much better.”

Along with remaining calm and positive, the doctor also has some practical advice for parents taking an injured child to an emergency room:

“Do not feed your child, do not go to McDonald’s along the way, do not sooth them with food or drink, because a small child may need sedation to be sutured, to have this injury fixed…and that may mean they can’t have anything, or shouldn’t have anything, to eat or drink for four hours.”

What We Need To Know

• If you’re taking your child to an emergency room, take sure paramedics and doctors know your child’s medical history – including any medications they might be taking – before they give your child anything. They will also need to know when your child last took a given medication, and how much. (Nemours Foundation Center for Children’s Health Media)
• Ask if you can stay with your child during their treatment. Reassure a younger child with simple explanations and language, to explain what is going to happen. If you suspect you may not remain calm or lose control during a procedure, tell a nurse or doctor (Scripps Health)
• State your child’s main problem first – describe all their symptoms and how long they’ve been happening. Answer any questions about your child’s condition honestly. Also, ask questions until you fully understand what is being said to you. (Lifespan Health System)

Resources

• American Academy of Pediatrics
• Yale-New Haven Hospital
• American College of Emergency Physicians

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