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Life can be filled with pain, but we're here to help
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Many families worry about a child's comfort when visiting the hospital.
At Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, our health care team can help children and families with their concerns.
"The Comfort Zone" is our pledge to families that we will make every effort to keep your child comfortable during his or her visit to Children's Hospital.
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Our pledge to you and your child
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 If a painful treatment is necessary, every effort will be made to keep your child comfortable. Members of our pain management team are experts in helping children feel comfortable.
- We will help your child cope with discomfort by using relaxation techniques, sedatives, and/or pain medicine.
- Whenever the need for a blood sample is not an emergency, we will offer a special numbing cream one to two hours before blood is taken.
- If an intravenous (IV) line is needed, we will help your child relax, use a special numbing cream, or inject a numbing medicine. The IV may also be placed when your child already is sedated for a procedure or surgery.
- When it is best for your child, we will do procedures in a special treatment room so that your child feels safe in his or her own room and in the playroom.
- We will make every effort to give medicine in a pain free way. We will give your child medicine to swallow or through the IV. We do not give painful shots to help ease pain.
- We will check for pain often. We will respond quickly to reports of pain.
- We will measure your child's pain based on his or her level of understanding. We will support parents in their role as part of our pain management team.
- We will give you information on how to prepare and support your child before, during and after a procedure or surgery. Most of the time, you will be able to be with your child.
- We will give you information about pain and pain management choices and work with you to develop a pain management plan.
- After the procedure or surgery, we will make every effort to keep your child comfortable using the pain management plan. If he or she is uncomfortable, we will change the plan until your child is comfortable.
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What parents and families can do to help
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- Ask your child's doctor or nurse what to expect regarding pain and pain management.
- Discuss pain relief options with your child's doctor and nurse.
- Work with your child's doctor and nurse to create a pain management plan.
- Tell your child's doctor or nurse when pain first begins.
- Tell your child's doctor or nurse if your child's pain is not relieved.
- Ask your child's doctor or nurse if you have any questions about your child's pain management.
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What you can do to help children deal with pain
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Infants |
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Rocking, singing, soothing music, holding, gentle massage, pacifier. |
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Toddlers |
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Rocking, holding, listening to music, bubble-blowing, playing or acting out procedure. |
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Preschoolers |
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Talking about procedure, bubble-blowing, story-telling, videotapes, distraction tools (pop-up books, toys), playing or acting out procedure. |
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School-age |
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Breathing techniques, visual imagery, videotapes, music, distracting objects, reading, massage. |
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Adolescents |
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Breathing techniques, visual imagery, videotapes, music, distracting objects, reading, massage. |
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Acute & chronic pain management
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The Jane B. Pettit Pain and Palliative Care Center provides pain management for children with acute or chronic pain.
The Acute Pain Service provides pain management and consultation for children who are hospital patients and are having pain due to surgery, illness or injury. Anesthesiologists and advanced practice nurses work with patients, their family, nurses and doctors to keep patients comfortable during their stay in the hospital.
The Chronic Pain Service provides outpatient evaluation and pain management services for children having chronic or long-standing pain. A team provides treatment for your child based on the needs of your child and your family. Members of the team include an anesthesiologist, psychologist, clinical nurse specialist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, social worker and psychiatrist.
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