Curbing needle phobia in adults starts with making shots less painful for kids
Apr 29, 2024
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Dr. Stefan Friedrichsdorf, a pediatrician and palliative care leader at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, discusses the pervasive fear of needles in adults, often rooted in painful childhood experiences. He highlights a groundbreaking five-step plan designed to make injections less painful for children, utilizing numbing creams and effective distraction techniques. The conversation emphasizes the importance of transforming medical environments to cultivate positive experiences that can lead to healthier attitudes toward healthcare in adulthood.
Comfort positions and avoiding restraint empower children during medical procedures, reducing trauma.
Deep dives
Implementing Numbing Cream
In the podcast, it's highlighted that one crucial step in making injections less painful for children involves applying numbing cream. Dr. Stefan Friedrich Stauff emphasizes the importance of using a topical anesthetic like 4% Lydic Cream, which can be purchased over the counter. By applying this cream at least 30 minutes before the procedure, it can significantly reduce the pain experienced during injections, making the process more tolerable for children.
Avoiding Restraints and Comfort Positions
Another essential aspect addressed in the podcast is the avoidance of restraining children during medical procedures. Instead of holding down children, the focus is on comfort positions to make the experience less traumatizing. Dr. Stefan Friedrich Stauff advocates for providing comfort measures like swaddling for babies and allowing older children to sit upright and make choices. This approach aims to empower children and reduce anxiety associated with medical interventions.
Changing the Experience
The podcast discusses the importance of changing children's perception of medical procedures to make them less fearful. Dr. Stefan Friedrich Stauff underscores the significance of creating positive memories associated with injections by using distraction techniques, such as providing sugar water or breastfeeding for babies and offering choices for older children. By reframing the narrative around injections and focusing on positive reinforcement post-procedure, it contributes to a more positive experience, promoting better healthcare practices and reducing fear and anxiety in pediatric patients.
Approximately one in four adults has a fear of needles, according to the CDC. Many of those people say the phobia started when they were kids. Researchers developed a five step plan to prevent what they call "needless pain" for kids getting injections or their blood drawn. NPR's Short Wave talks with Dr. Stefan Friedrichsdorf of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, who works with a team to implement the plan at his own hospital, about how to eliminate pain during shots.