Your child doesn't have to dread the any appointment

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A DIFFICULT PROCEDURE DOES NOT MAKE YOUR CHILD DIFFICULT

Medical environments ask a great deal of children.

They may be expected to tolerate unfamiliar people, equipment, sounds, sensations, touch, waiting, uncertainty, and pain—often while frightened and without enough time to understand what is happening.

Poke Pals™ helps families prepare children with honesty, predictability, communication, and meaningful choices.

IF THIS SOUNDS FAMILIAR, YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Your child may:

• Become distressed before an appointment
• Refuse to enter the building or procedure room
• Struggle with unfamiliar touch, equipment, sounds, or smells
• Need more time than the appointment allows
• Communicate fear through movement, behavior, silence, or refusal
• Have difficulty recovering from a previous medical experience
• Understand more than they can express
• Need visual, sensory, or communication support
• Complete some appointments easily and find others overwhelming

These responses are information.

They may tell us that the child is afraid, overwhelmed, confused, in pain, remembering a previous experience, or unable to access what is being asked of them.

Preparation begins with curiosity—not blame.

BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT

When possible, begin preparing before the day of the procedure.

Helpful preparation may include:

• Learning the actual sequence of the appointment
• Using clear, concrete language
• Showing pictures of the location or equipment
• Practicing one small step at a time
• Identifying sensory triggers and comfort preferences
• Choosing communication tools
• Deciding which choices can genuinely be offered
• Sharing your child’s needs with the healthcare team in advance
• Planning what will happen if the procedure cannot be completed

Preparation should match your child’s developmental level, communication style, previous experiences, and need for information.

Some children want to know every step. Others need information in smaller pieces.

Both are valid.

HONEST LANGUAGE BUILDS TRUST

Avoid promises you cannot guarantee, such as:

“It won’t hurt.”

Instead, use honest, concrete language:

“You may feel a tight squeeze on your arm.”

“You might feel a quick pinch.”

“We can ask for a pause.”

“You can tell us when you need more time.”

“I will stay with you.”

“We will explain what is happening.”

Children do not need frightening detail. They do need language they can trust.

QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE A BLOOD DRAW OR PROCEDURE

When scheduling or preparing for an appointment, consider asking:

• Who regularly works with children?
• Can we visit or see pictures of the setting beforehand?
• Is a quieter room or lower-traffic appointment time available?
• Can my child remain with a caregiver?
• What comfort positioning options are available?
• Can my child use headphones, a comfort item, visual supports, or a communication device?
• Is Child Life or another pediatric-support service available?
• Whom should I contact about sensory, communication, or procedural needs?
• What options can I discuss with the healthcare team for pain management?
• What happens if the procedure cannot be completed that day?
• How will helpful accommodations be documented for the next visit?

Not every setting can provide every option. Asking in advance gives the team more opportunity to prepare.

GIVE CHILDREN A WAY TO PARTICIPATE

Participation does not always mean remaining completely still or silent.

When clinically appropriate, children may participate by:

• Choosing which arm to offer
• Choosing whether to watch or look away
• Selecting a comfort position
• Holding a comfort object
• Using headphones or another sensory support
• Asking for an explanation
• Requesting a pause or more time
• Choosing a coping activity
• Communicating “ready,” “stop,” “hurt,” or “help”

Only offer choices that can genuinely be honored.

A child’s communication may include speech, gestures, signs, pictures, a communication device, movement, facial expression, or behavior.

PREPARATION STORYBOARDS

Some children need to see what will happen before they can begin to feel safe.

Poke Pals™ storyboards use simple visuals and predictable language to introduce the steps of common medical experiences.

Current and developing topics include:

• Blood draws
• Vaccinations
• Dental visits
• Imaging
• Routine medical examinations

A storyboard is not a promise that every appointment will happen exactly the same way. Review it alongside accurate information from your child’s healthcare team and adjust the language to match the actual setting whenever possible.

HOW FAMILIES CAN ACCESS POKE PALS

Poke Pals™ is working toward a partnership-supported model in which pediatric practices, healthcare organizations, and community sponsors fund workshops so participating families do not have to.

Workshop availability is currently limited while the first pediatric-practice pilot is being developed.

You can help bring Poke Pals to your community by sharing the program with:

• Your child’s pediatrician
• A pediatric or family practice
• A local hospital or health system
• A laboratory serving children
• A school-health or special-education team
• A community organization or potential sponsor

IMPORTANT NOTE

Poke Pals™ provides educational preparation and community workshops.

It does not provide medical care, mental-health treatment, behavior-analytic treatment, diagnosis, or individualized clinical advice. Information on this page should be adapted in collaboration with your child’s qualified healthcare professionals.

For urgent medical or mental-health needs, contact an appropriate healthcare professional or emergency service.