Co-creating comfort: Supporting Children to develop and share coping strategies in medical procedures

Children often experience medical procedures such as injections, IV insertions, and tube placements as painful and stressful. This pain and stress can have major consequences for children. Various strategies can improve comfort during painful procedures, such as providing clear information, using distraction, preparing the child, and choosing appropriate language by parents and healthcare professionals. However, the effectiveness of these strategies can vary greatly, depending on the situation. The child’s personal circumstances and preferences play an important role in this.
The coping strategies that children develop themselves help them gain more trust and a sense of control or predictability, which can reduce anxiety. These coping strategies differ for each child and may change over time.
An important finding is that a trustful relationship between the child and the healthcare professional is crucial in this context. Children experience less stress when they feel heard, when agreements are kept, and when healthcare professionals pay attention to their boundaries and preferences. Negative experiences, on the other hand, can damage this trust and increase fear of future medical procedures. It is therefore essential that healthcare professionals recognize and respect personal preferences and involve children and parents in decisions surrounding medical procedures.
As part of the research, the app ‘My Hospital Passport’ was developed. This app allows children to record and share their coping preferences and helpful strategies with healthcare professionals. According to children, parents, and professionals, the app contributes to greater calm, trust, and mutual understanding during medical procedures. However, successful implementation requires active involvement of healthcare professionals and structural integration into workflows to ensure sustainable use and recognition of children’s preferences. The findings regarding the implementation of the My Hospital Passport app demonstrate that healthcare organizations need to create conditions that enable relational, child-centered care.