Curbing needle phobia in adults starts with making shots less painful for kids

Podcast Summary

• Fear of Shots: A Preventable Barrier to Necessary Medical Treatments: Fear of shots can prevent essential medical treatments, leading to increased health risks and even death. Find ways to make shots less scary and more accessible to ensure public health.

  Fear of shots, whether it's for adults or children, can prevent necessary medical treatments and vaccinations, leading to increased health risks and even death. This fear is not uncommon, as many people, including the host Marielle and her listeners, have shared their own experiences of needle phobia. In fact, Stefan Friedrichsdorf, a doctor and professor of pediatrics, has firsthand experience with this fear from his childhood and now works to prevent needless pain and fear during shots at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals. The consequences of foregoing medical care can be serious, as measles, for example, can result in death. Therefore, it's essential to find ways to make shots less scary and more accessible to ensure public health.

• Reducing Children's Fear and Pain during Doctor's Visits: Use numbing cream like 4% lidocaine 30 mins before procedures to minimize fear and pain for children.

  Making doctor's visits less painful and less scary for children is crucial for their future health. Researchers have identified a five-step plan to minimize the fear and pain caused by needles, which can be applied anywhere, from children's hospitals to doctor's offices. The first step is to use numbing cream, such as 4% lidocaine, which is affordable and widely available over the counter. Parents or caregivers should apply a pea-sized amount to the skin, cover it with a dressing, and leave it on for at least 30 minutes before the procedure. This simple intervention can significantly reduce the pain and anxiety associated with needles. The effectiveness of the numbing cream has been proven in various settings, from high-income countries to low-income regions like the Philippines. By implementing this five-step plan, we can make a significant difference in children's lives, ensuring they receive necessary medical treatments with minimal distress.

• Impact of Expectation and Emotional Response on Perceived Pain in Children's Medical Procedures: Understanding and preparing children, using comfort positioning, age-appropriate distractions, offering sucrose or breastfeeding for infants, and positive reinforcement for older children can help reduce the perceived pain in medical procedures. Creating a calm and supportive environment is crucial.

  The expectation of pain and the emotional response to a procedure can significantly impact the perceived pain level. This was discussed in relation to the use of numbing cream during medical procedures. While some argue that the cream doesn't go deep enough, research shows that understanding and preparing children for the procedure, using comfort positioning, and providing age-appropriate distractions can make the experience less painful, even if the pain isn't completely eliminated. Additionally, the way children remember the procedure is crucial. For infants under 12 months, offering sucrose or breastfeeding can help, while for older children, changing the memory of the procedure through positive reinforcement is important. It's also important to note that physically restraining children during procedures can increase their anxiety and make the experience more painful. Overall, creating a calm and supportive environment can make a big difference in how children experience medical procedures.

• Communicating Effectively with Children during Medical Procedures: Using positive language and making medical procedures as smooth and quick as possible can help reduce fear and anxiety in children, saving time for both the child and staff.

  The way we approach and communicate with children before, during, and after medical procedures, such as getting shots or blood draws, can significantly impact their experience and memory of the event. Before the procedure, it's important to use positive language and frame the experience in a more positive way, rather than focusing on the pain. During the interaction, avoiding phrases like "count to three" and instead focusing on making the experience as smooth and quick as possible. After the procedure, it's crucial to change the memory by using positive reinforcement and reframing the pain. These steps, which have been developed and used by Child Life Specialists for over 20 years, have been met with skepticism from some medical professionals who view the process as an unnecessary addition to an already busy schedule. However, implementing these steps has been found to save time and make the experience more effective for both the child and the staff. Overall, the way we communicate and approach medical procedures for children can have a profound impact on their experience and memory of the event. By focusing on positive language and making the experience as smooth and quick as possible, we can help reduce fear and anxiety and make the experience a more positive one.

• Addressing children's fear of medical procedures: Hospitals prioritize children's emotional wellbeing by using numbing cream, choices, and comfort methods to reduce fear during medical procedures.

  Addressing children's fear of medical procedures in hospitals requires a cultural shift in prioritizing their emotional wellbeing. Hospitals like those in Oakland and San Francisco are implementing changes such as numbing cream, sugar water or breastfeeding, not holding children down, and giving them choices. However, this requires hospital leadership to embrace these practices amidst competing healthcare priorities. Children consistently identify pain as their top fear, and it's crucial for healthcare systems to address this issue on a broader scale. This episode was produced by Margaret Cirino and edited by Rebecca Ramirez, with fact-checking by Rebecca and audio engineering by an unnamed engineer. We also thank April Dembosky of KQED and KFF Health News for reporting this story for NPR's Shots blog. Don't forget to support local journalism and keep public radio strong by donating to the NPR network at donate.npr.org. As local newspapers continue to close, public radio remains an essential resource for staying informed. Ron Rudson, founder and CEO of Saatva, encourages prioritizing sleep for overall health and wellness. To learn more about Saatva, visit sdoubleatva.com/npr.