Building Your Own Comfort Kit
Although we would like to always be prepared to help your child in just exactly the way he or she prefers, the reality is there might come a time when the preferred items are not available.
In these situations, having your own “comfort kit” with all the supplies needed to support your child can make a huge difference. Kits can be stored in a special bag that you take with you to all medical visits.
Suggested options:
- Numbing cream (4% Lidocaine), available over-the-counter.
- Tegaderm™, a large band-aid or a piece of material to keep the cream or ice in place.
- Cold spray or a Buzzy® bee with ice pack.
- A few favorite items for distraction:
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- Infants - books, music, rattles or toys that make noise.
- Toddlers/preschoolers - pop-up books, music, rattles or light-up toys.
- School-age kids - books, music, hand-held toys, phones or tablets.
- Tweens/teens - music, phones, book, hand-held game or videos.
You can also pack a special friend (e.g., action figure, doll, stuffed animal) that helps your child feel brave or comforted, and plan a special treat for after the procedure.
Our Coping Plan Cards can help your child pick what they want to have happen during a needle procedure. Just print the cards your child has picked, put them on a keyring for your comfort kit and share them at your medical visit.