Procedural support is an intervention provided by a Child Life Specialist during an invasive procedure or anxiety producing medically related event (IV placement, catheter, bone marrow aspiration, etc.).
It is important to keep in mind that each child will handle situations differently. What may work for one child, might not for another.
During a procedure you may observe a Child Life Specialist:
- Educating patients and parents of helpful coping behaviors and modeling these behaviors
- Recognizing the opportunity for a child to make a choice
- Explaining the process in a developmentally based manner, and preparing a child for sensory experiences and sequence of events
- Prompting the child to "help" during procedures (deep breathing, hold arm still, etc.)
Did you know:
- Throughout a procedure a Child Life Specialist looks for ways for the child to "be in control" or make choices?
- Psychosocial support promotes self-efficacy and self-esteem?
- Emotional support by a non-threatening person such as a Child Life Specialist, helps ease separation anxiety and feelings of abandonment when parents are unable to be present?
- Reducing anxiety before and after a procedure leads to better overall coping?
Procedural support:
- Prevents regression of developmental milestones
- Helps to increase self-efficacy and decrease learned helplessness
- Enhances pharmacological pain management
- Promotes mastery of medical situations
- Increases self-esteem
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