By Kristi Lopez
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During Children and Health Care Week, an
annual event sponsored by the Association for the care of Children’s Health, held
March 14-20, the
UK Children’s Hospital will sponsor activities to help children and their
families discuss and improve pain management.
~
|
LEXINGTON, KY (March 11, 1999) – Each day
thousands of children visit hospitals, clinics or doctors’ offices due to injury,
illness or prevention. For a child, the hospital or doctor’s office can be a big,
scary, unfamiliar place. Fortunately, at the University of Kentucky Children’s
Hospital, measures continually are being taken to ensure that children and families not
only receive excellent health care, but also to reduce or eliminate pain whenever
possible. New medications and distraction techniques are available to help children get
through difficult and often painful procedures, said Sharon Barton, Ph.D., nurse
researcher for the UK Children’s Hospital.
During Children and Health Care Week, an annual event sponsored
by the Association for the care of Children’s Health, held March 14-20, the UK
Children’s Hospital will sponsor activities to help children and their families
discuss and improve pain management.
Activities include allowing children to create "diversion kits" during their
stay at the hospital to help distract them from painful or uncomfortable procedures. Also,
a train made from construction paper will line the hospital walls with children adding
cars that include messages on how to lessen the hurt. On Wednesday, March 17, young
patients will participate in Kids’ Clinic where they become doctors and get to
"diagnose and treat" physicians and nurses at the Hospital. For the week’s
finale, children will paint T-shirts, decorate cookies and participate in other activities
to show the Hospital isn’t always a scary place. |
