The Children’s Minnesota Comfort Promise
Care teams use a variety of strategies including numbing cream, comfort positions and distractions to reduce the pain children feel at the doctor’s office or hospital.
What you can do to help
As parents and caregivers, there are ways that you can provide comfort before, during and after needle procedures:
Before your child’s procedure
- Prepare your child about what to expect
- Keep it simple yet honest, the timing will depend on your child
- Talk to your provider or clinic about numbing cream
For babies under 12 months, sugar water or breastfeeding should start 2 minutes before the procedure.
During your child’s procedure:
Infants (0-12m)
Toddlers (1-5yo)
School age (6-12yo)
Teens (13-18yo)
Infants (0-12m)
- Swaddling
- Skin-to-skin contact
- Pacifier
- Holding your child during the procedure
- Age-appropriate distraction (Example: Favorite toy, singing, music or comfort object)
Toddlers (1-5yo)
- Sitting child upright
- Holding your child during the procedure
- Age-appropriate distraction (Example: Toys, books, bubbles, pinwheels or games)
School age (6-12yo)
- Sitting your child upright
- Holding your child or staying close by during the procedure
- Some children this age like to watch what is happening
- Age-appropriate distraction (Example: Electronics, toys, activities that encourage deep breathing, or actively engage)
Teens (13-18yo)
- Sitting upright (if teen wants to)
- Be available for support
- Some teens like to watch what is happening
- Age-appropriate distraction (Example: music, games, electronics or watching)
Additional resources for families
- Anesthetic cream: 4% lidocaine
- Helping your child with immunizations
- Helping your baby with immunizations
