Using Hypnosis to Help Children Manage Getting Shots
I either found this article on Ivanhoe or Science Daily.com:
"A new review, in the current issue of The Cochrane Library, looked at 28 randomized controlled studies that excluded children with known needle phobias. The procedures studied included vaccinations, lumbar punctures and bone marrow aspirations. Nearly 2,000 children and teenagers participated
The goal of the review was to identify the best psychological interventions for reducing pain and distress in children and teenagers undergoing a needle procedure. “This way, health care professionals, parents and even the children themselves, can have options to help make their experience less painful and distressing,” said lead reviewer Lindsay Uman, of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Techniques included cognitive interventions — such as distraction, hypnosis or having the child repeat positive thoughts such as “I can do this.” Also analyzed were behavioral interventions such as breathing exercises or muscle relaxation, or combinations of cognitive and behavioral interventions. Some techniques were quite simple, while others involved video games, television or virtual reality headsets that provided both audio and visual stimulation.
The techniques with the most evidence for their effectiveness in reducing pain and distress during needle procedures include distraction, combined cognitive and behavioral interventions and hypnosis.
Distraction can be as simple as having the child count or listen to a story, television, video or music while getting the shot. A very young child might even be distracted by blowing soap bubbles.
“Cognitive-behavioral interventions are those aimed at targeting thoughts (cognitions) and behaviors. They are designed to help the child develop and apply coping skills in order to manage the pain and distress. Health professionals can explain what will happen so that the child knows what to expect, and also encourage the child to use a distraction during the procedure.
Hypnosis has been taught to children in as little as one or two sessions plus some practice time. “Hypnosis is a skill that the children can then take home with them and use again during other subsequent procedures,” Uman said. “Furthermore, the evidence shows that hypnosis is effective in reducing both pain and distress during needle procedures, specifically during more invasive ones such as bone marrow aspirations and lumbar punctures.”
Although topical anesthetics can help reduce the pain of a shot, they often need to be applied in advance. In contrast, the majority of psychological interventions can be used quickly and easily and do not need much advance preparation, Uman said.
With children getting up to 20 vaccinations or other injections during their childhood, managing the pain is important. Needles are among the most feared experiences for children. And in a classic vicious cycle, the more a child fears the pain of a needle, the worse for everyone involved, and the fear only makes the next needle experience even worse. "
Health professionals should always be able to do something to help children be less fearful of getting a shot and hypnosis is a wonderful way to go!
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