Comfort Promise Tools for Teens: 13 to 17 Years Old

At UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, we've made a Comfort Promise. What this means: We will do everything we can to make needle procedures as painless as possible for your teenager.

Below you'll find details about simple pain-prevention tools and techniques for kids 13 to 17 years old. Chronological age doesn't always match developmental age, so choose the age guidance you think will work best for your teenager.

Please note: The Comfort Promise Program is rolling out over time and is not yet available at all of our pediatric hospitals and clinics. To find out whether it's in effect in your child's unit, clinic or lab, check with the medical team there.

Numbing cream

Applied to the skin ahead of time, numbing cream can reduce or eliminate the pain of a needle poke.

If your teen is staying at one of our hospitals, our staff will provide and apply numbing cream. But if you take them in for a clinic or lab visit, you may need to buy and apply it or have your child apply it.

What you'll need

• 4% lidocaine numbing cream, available over the counter at pharmacies and drugstores or online.
• A "transparent film dressing" (a clear bandage with adhesive edges) to cover the numbing cream, sold over the counter at pharmacies and drugstores or online. Alternatively, you can simply use plastic wrap (aka cling wrap) to cover it.

How and when to apply it

Apply the cream 30 to 60 minutes before the procedure, and make note of the time you applied it. The numbing effect lasts one to two hours.

Ask your teenager's medical team where to apply the cream. The location will vary depending on the type of needle procedure.

For example, for kids in this age range, vaccines are typically given in the upper arm, blood is usually drawn from the inner crook of the elbow, and IVs are inserted in the forearm, wrist or back of the hand. For multiple procedures, you may be advised to put cream in more than one spot – such as two spots on each arm.

Apply a quarter-size spot of cream in each location. A thick layer is usually best. Apply the dressing over the cream, and don't press on it.

If any cream is left on your teen's skin after two hours, have them wipe it off.

Comfort positioning

Certain positions help kids feel more calm and secure. And that, in turn, can make needle procedures less painful.

Most teens like to sit upright to have a feeling of control. They may want to sit next to you or face you and hold hands – or they may not want you to sit close to them.

Allow kids this age to watch the procedure if they ask to.

Comfort positions to try

Distraction

Age-appropriate distractions can reduce children's pain by 20 to 50%. Here are some ideas for distractions to get you started. Every child is different, so you'll know best what to do.

• A tablet or phone for playing games or watching videos
• Breathing exercises
• Stress balls or fidget toys
• Music
• Chatting or telling jokes
• Books or magazines
• Comfort items

Teen's choices

We'll give teens a start/pause or other communication sign they can use to let us know when they're ready for the procedure. Alternatively, they can give us a thumbs-up when they're ready to begin and a thumbs-down if they need a break.

Like younger kids, teenagers pick up on your cues. If you remain calm and speak quietly and soothingly, you'll both get through the procedure with less stress.

Memory shaping

The way you talk to your teen about their experience with a needle procedure makes all the difference in how they remember it. You can intentionally help them create a positive memory of it.

Research has shown that when this happens, your child will feel less scared and have less pain in future needle procedures. It'll also teach them how to better manage painful experiences – now and into adulthood. Here's how to do it:

• Use positive language. Focus on the aspects of the experience that went well. For example, "I know today was hard, but it was wonderful to see so many people helping you." "It's pretty cool that you got to watch your favorite show during the procedure." "You did such a great job holding still!"
• Correct any exaggerations. If your teen seems to be recalling things as worse than they were, remind them of how things really went. For example, "You didn't like doing this, but when it was over, you felt better quickly. And we stopped to get a slushy afterward."
• Praise their coping skills. Emphasize how well they coped and how they did it. For example, "You held my hand and looked away." "You focused on the stress ball and took nice slow breaths." "You got through that even better than you expected to! You should be proud of yourself."