More medical professionals are recommending the use of topical anesthetics and other non-drug interventions to avoid or reduce the trauma children experience in doctor's offices and hospital visits. There are several products that are now in common use in Children's Hospitals and pediatric offices that make a world of difference.

Families have always used soothing techniques and distraction to ease their children through first aid treatments as well as medical tests and procedures. Grandmothers may have suggested putting a cool cloth on a hot forehead; nursing, or offering a bottle of sugar water, pacifier or binky; holding and singing to them or offering calming words. It often helps a child to bring along a favorite blanket, stuffed animal, music CD or DVD, and to read familar stories to them.

Some children, like those with Type One, insulin dependent diabetes, need an insulin pump or individual insulin injections many times each day, along with frequent blood sugar testing using drops of blood on a test strip. Every few months, blood may be drawn for A1C and other testing.

Most families learn how to take care of a child's diabetes needs while they are in the hospital the first day or two after the child is diagnosed. It is often a difficult adjustment for a child to make and there is no end in site until a cure is found.

Many children who have frequent blood draws or treatments involving needles or IVs could have a great deal of their anxiety relieved by the use of topical anesthesia, gentle support and distraction. Health and medical professionals should be aware of the new trends in pediatric pain management.

Browse in local bookstores, your public library, or online retailers for general information about: Easing Children's Pain and books or eBooks like Dylan's Big Surprise at the Doctor: Not-so-scary Shots


U of A study finds music can reduce perceived pain for kids in ER
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/study+finds+music+reduce+perceived+pain+kids/8663452/story.html

Pain Management for Children
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art51895.asp

HealthDay -
Gel Eases Pain for Babies Getting Shots
http://news.healingwell.com/index.php?p=news1&id=522724

Study Points To Better Numbing Medicine For Kids Getting IV Sticks
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=50548

Pain Free Pediatric Emergency Department Anesthetic Protocol
Central New York Childrens Hospital at University Hospital
http://www.upstate.edu/medalumni/alumni_resources/au05alumjournal/au05peded.pdf

Controlling Pain During Pediatric Procedures - EMLA, Numby Stuff, Ametop, Freezy Spray, Sedation or General Anesthesia
http://www.acor.org/ped-onc/treatment/treatmentsideeffects.html

EMLA Approved For Newborns, Available In Disc,
and Relieves Pain of Chest Tube Removal
http://www.mosbysdrugconsult.com/WOW/pu051.html

Guidelines For Pain Management During Newborn Circumcision
http://www.mosbysdrugconsult.com/WOW/op043.html

What is Ametop (amethocaine) gel?
http://www.needlephobia.co.uk/s_pages/usage.aspx

Cincinnati Children's Hospital - Emla Cream
http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/info/medication/a-e/emla-cream.htm

Atraumatic Skin/Vessel Punctures
http://www.mosbysdrugconsult.com/WOW/op022aa.html

Guidelines For Atraumatic Skin/Vessel Punctures to reduce the pain associated with heel, finger,
venous, or arterial punctures
http://www.mosbysdrugconsult.com/WOW/op022aa.html

Numby Stuff / iontopheresis low voltage current enhances penetration of topical anesthetic
Numby Stuff electrodes plus lidocaine and epinephrine topical solution
http://www.iomed.com/prod-numby.html

Pediatric Percutaneous Lidocaine Administration
Iontophoretic Drug Delivery System
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/112/3/578?ck=nck

Use of Buffered Lidocaine - Xylocaine - for Venipuncture
Fentanyl Oralet - bone marrow aspiration, lumbar puncture
http://www.mosbysdrugconsult.com/WOW/op022.html

Topical anethestics used to numb the skin before
inserting an insulin pump infusion set
http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/pumps/links.htm
Gebauer's Ethyl Chloride
http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/dteam/2006-10/d_0d_e9i.htm
EMLA anesthetic or ELA-max cream
http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/dteam/2002-11/d_0d_9ua.htm

Journal Watch - EMLA, Nitrous Oxide Equivalent for IV Starts in Kids
http://emergency-medicine.jwatch.org/cgi/content/citation/2001/1101/6

Medscape: Survey of Interventions for Needle Procedures (Emla and Ametop)
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/497085_3

Use of Emla or Ametop for pain associated with retrobulbar extraction - cataracts
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1365-2044.1999.00842.x

ChildCancerPain.org
Using EMLA for Spinal Tap (lumbar), starting an IV, subcutaneous injections, finger pokes, procedures associated with childhood leukemia
http://www.oreilly.com/medical/leukemia/news/types_procedures.html

The Crisis in Pain Control for Children who are Complex, Non-Verbal, or Cognitively Impaired http://www.articles.complexchild.com/00036.html