Anxiety in Medical Settings

Childhood dental fear in the Netherlands: prevalence and normative data

“…Increasing age in children is related to the development of cognitive abilities (29) and a change in the expression of fear. That is, children may learn to control the way they express their fear as they grow older and, subsequently, this may lead to the decrease of inappropriate behaviour perceived by others (16, 30). Comparisons between behavioural measures and anxiety ratings indeed seem to indicate such a discrepancy, i.e.…”

The psychological impact of an adenoidectomy and adenotonsillectomy on young children

“…Another limitation of this study is absence of data on the care-giving context. Attachment theory implies that the presence of a caregiver helps children to cope more comfortably with novel and frightening experiences, including painful medical procedures [42], which can even buffer the reactivity of the HPA system to potentially stressful events and can influence the parasympathetic regulatory system of the child [39].…”

Pain and Anxiety Management

“…Both have physiologic and emotional components. 20 When fear or pain is an issue, both must ultimately be managed. 8 In a medical setting, children cite fear of pain to be a significant obstacle.…”

“…There are several methods of assessing fear. 20 For those patients who have significant fear or phobias, referral to an appropriate professional (e.g., child psychologist) is suggested. A simple interview with a patient will uncover otherwise unspoken concerns.…”