Mommy, Daddy, I Am Scared. Help Me - A
Cell or Mobile Phone Might Help Calm Your Child
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There is a way, however, that you
might be able to comfort your loved one at a distance. That way could be using
a cell phone, mobile phone, intercom, or closed-circuit television.
Doctors, nurses, and other medical
staff routinely use cell phones in their work, even in the operating room. This
is accepted practice now in clinics and hospitals.
In addition, a new concept is that
patients listen to surgical music or hypnosis scripts using headphones. The
calmer the patient is, the better they tolerate treatment, and heal faster
later.
It seems possible that parents could
use cell phones to calm children from the waiting room.
By using a mobile phone, parents
could reassure children during treatments. The parent could comfort the child
using familiar terms, such as "It is okay". In addition, the parent
could read a familiar story. In essence, the parent would be part of the
treatment team, from the waiting room.
Of course, if the child were not
calmed, then the medical team would stop communication. This makes sense.
It might be hard, but here are some
suggested steps you could take as a parent to make this happen.
- Ask your doctor or health care professional for their help in establishing this communication method. They might very well be your strongest ally. Show your doctor this article's references showing that it might be helpful.
- You or your doctor could check with the clinic or hospital on policies for parent-patient communication.
- Figure out how you would calm your child during treatment. Have a plan. Share your plan with those in authority at the clinic or hospital.
- If need be, push a little. Tell them how important this is for you and your child. If no, ask why not. Work around their no answers.
- Let other parents know what you are doing to form a collaborative effort. Social media, such as Facebook, might be helpful. Learn from each other. Form a unified effort. Share your experiences so others can build on your work.
- Once someone, somewhere, is given permission to try this, it will become easier.
- It might be tough going for a while, but if your child is calmer and heals faster, it is worth it.
As time goes on, this parent-child
communication link could become standard practice. There could be standard
scripts for the parent to read. The parent's voice could be pre-recorded while
the parent is calm. There could be off-the-shelf recordings available for
playing at the clinic. The list goes on.
References -
Use of mobile phone in operating
room by Sanjay Saraf - J Med Phys. 2009 Apr-Jun; 34(2): 101-102 - http://www.jmp.org.in/article.asp?issn=0971-6203;year=2009;volume=34;issue=2;spage=101;epage=102;aulast=Saraf
Music and Ambient Operating Room
Noise in Patients Undergoing Spinal Anesthesia by CM Ayoub et al. - Anesth
Analg. 2005 May; 100(5):1316-9, table of contents - http://www.anesthesia-analgesia.org/content/100/5/1316.full.pdf
Brain Activation in Sedated
Children: Auditory and Visual Functional MR Imaging by Altman, N et al.,
Radiology, 2001, Volume221, Issue 1, Page(s) 56-63 - http://hero.epa.gov/index.cfm?action=search.view&reference_id=700984
Disclaimer - Article is for
information only and is not medical advice.
