CLINICAL EVIDENCE

"Children are often subject to psychological trauma because they lack control of their environment. This sense of helplessness, coupled with fear and pain, causes children to feel powerless in healthcare settings. These emotional responses delay important medical treatment, take more time to complete, and reduce patient satisfaction."

"In the short term, extreme distress may compromise the completion of a required medical procedure. In the long term, it may lead to difficulties in future encounters that discourage the use of medical treatments."

"Painful experiences during blood draws and other invasive procedures can lead to fear of future procedures. Previous painful experiences, fear of needles, and anxiety can lead to avoidance of medical procedures entirely."

"Higher anxiety in children undergoing procedures results in increased medication requirements and longer procedural durations, which can cause potential complications."

"Preoperative anxiety has been linked to increased pain sensitivity, poor compliance, and in some cases the cancellation of procedures. Up to 70% of children undergoing surgical procedures experience pronounced preoperative distress."

"Non-pharmacological interventions hold a promising role in reducing levels of anxiety or distress in children, as confirmed with salivary cortisol measurement. Anxiety and distress were found to be reduced in the majority of the studies reviewed."

"Cortisol activity can be altered by psychosocial interventions. These findings indicate physiologic plasticity that can be leveraged by interventions and suggest it may be possible to repair regulatory systems after childhood adversity — which could inform strategies for reducing health disparities and promoting lasting improvements in health."

"Early-life adversities, emotional or physical, have been associated with long-term negative physical and mental health outcomes. Targeted interventions to reduce stress during infancy, childhood, and adolescence can have far-reaching benefits to long-term health."

"A greater sense of control is correlated with better mental health outcomes and less stress across multiple life domains. Children who develop perceived control over themselves and their environment demonstrate measurably better health outcomes."