Coping with hospital‐related fears: experiences of pre‐school‐aged children

Abstract

It is important to observe and support the child's individual coping strategies. Pre-school-aged children need information and guidance to orientate themselves in unknown situations and to participate in decisions concerning their everyday life. Most of all, they need opportunities to play and experience pleasure. Children can also be taught coping strategies that give them an active, positive role.

Rethinking family‐centred care for the child and family in hospital

“…For children who have a serious or chronic illness, the hospital can become an important context for their development (Salmela et al . ). Contexts, such as the parent's place of work, are referred to as the ‘exosystem’ and have considerable implications for the child.…”

A combined intervention of art therapy and clown visits to reduce preoperative anxiety in children

“…, Salmela et al . ). Preoperative anxiety has been reported to result in adverse outcomes and negative postoperative sequelae, such as emotional disturbance, cognitive inefficacy, behavioural impairments, bad dreams, sleep disturbances and disobedience (Kain et al .…”

The health‐care environment through the eyes of a child—Does it soothe or provoke anxiety?

“…Research has helped us to appreciate that the environments in which we live and work affect not only our emotional well‐being but also our physical and mental health 2–5 . Children in particular are a vulnerable population as the coping skills typically used by adults to mitigate such experiences are underdeveloped 6 . Children when entering a hospital setting are subject to an onslaught of new experiences: unknown faces, foreign sounds, sights and smells.…”