Focus on Pediatrics: Procedures are easier when parents tell the truth
Focus on Pediatrics: Procedures are easier when parents tell the truth
Teach Mom and Dad to communicate at child’s level
Communication is key to compliance for children during the treatment process, and parents have a big role. Teaching parents how to talk to their children during a medical encounter and preparing the child for the intervention can make a big difference.
"When talking with children, the goal should be to accurately communicate in a minimally threatening manner without increasing their stress level," says Katie McFaull, CCLS, a certified child-life specialist at the emergency department of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
For example, if a child has to have an IV and wants to know how it will feel, a parent should explain that all children are different. Some think that it feels like a pinch. Avoid telling the child that it won’t hurt, advises McFaull. Parents should invite the child to tell them how he or she thinks it feels. If a nurse tells the child that it won’t hurt, the parent should simply say, "Why don’t you tell us how it feels," she says.
Also, parents should explain the purpose of a procedure such as an IV in terms a child can understand, such as: "The IV has a job. It will get medicine into your body faster to help you feel better quicker."
Parents should make sure their children understand the medical terminology being used as well. Young children are very concrete thinkers. Nurses might use such language as "put to sleep," "move you to the floor," or "stick." "When children can’t think abstractly, which usually doesn’t happen until school age, they think the nurse is going to put them on the floor," says McFaull.
If an accident was the reason a child was brought to the hospital, parents should explain that accidents happen every day, such as children falling off playground equipment. "Preschool children are very egocentric and can see the hospital as punishment for a past misbehavior," she says.
Avoiding confrontation
Preparing the child will help to avoid confrontation later. There are other ways to skirt an argument. One way is never to tag the word "OK" onto a sentence because children feel that they can refuse. For example, instead of saying "We need you to take your medicine now, OK?" parents might say, "Take your medicine now; you can take it slow or fast." A child feels more in control and is more likely to cooperate if he or she is given realistic choices, says McFaull.
Also, it’s important for parents to keep from making promises that they might not be able to keep. For example, parents should never tell children that they can have something to drink following the procedure unless the physician has told them that will be possible.
Tension can be eased if children are given a job to do during the procedure such as holding their arm still, advises McFaull. That gives them self-esteem and confidence. It also provides a positive point of reinforcement. Parents can say, "You did a good job holding your arm still."
"Avoid saying good boy or girl,’ because you don’t want to label the children, but the behavior," she says.
How parents communicate with children does depend on their age. School-age children and teens can think abstractly. They understand that taking medicine by mouth will get rid of a head-ache. School-age children need more time to ask questions and understand what is happening. Teens may fear that physicians and parents are not being honest and open therefore communication is extremely important, says McFaull.
Families often rush children to the emergency department only to be asked to wait; therefore, it is wise to come prepared. "All children fear strangers, new places, and being left alone, so if at all possible, parents should try to engage them in a familiar activity," she says.
If possible, on the way out the door, parents should grab a favorite toy or video game or an item that provides comfort and security such as a blanket, advises McFaull.
All children cope best when allowed to play, and it is a great way to distract them from pain. Bubbles, a coloring book, or card game all are good items to bring along, she says.
Parents should avoid talking about past experiences that involve negative connotations or information to pass the time. Often they reminisce about a visit to the emergency department when they were a child, which tends to frighten their child rather than provide comfort, says McFaull.
Source
For more information on teaching parents how to communicate with their children, contact:
- Katie McFaull, CCLS, Certified Child Life Specialist, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, SR Campus, Child Life Department, 1001 Johnson Ferry Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30342. Telephone: (404) 250-2442. E-mail: [email protected].
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