An evidence-based adaptation journey for children visiting the clinic

Honest but measured information

Children cope with procedures better when they are warned in advance about the visit and its general stages, without excessive detail. It is important not to promise the absence of pain where it is possible, but to compare sensations with a familiar experience — 'like when you bumped yourself' — emphasising that pain passes.

Reducing uncertainty

Parents should find out the clinic's routine, the format of the appointment and procedures in advance and, in simple words, tell the child what to expect. It helps to show photos or videos of the clinic, the doctor and the operating room, so the new space becomes recognisable.

Building a sense of control

It is important to give the child a choice: which toy, book or clothes to bring, what game to play on the way, what questions to ask the doctor. Small decisions by the child reduce the feeling of helplessness and strengthen a subjective sense of control over the situation.

Parents' emotional attunement

Adults' emotions are strongly conveyed to the child, so parents need to show calm confidence and discuss their anxiety with the doctor rather than with the child. It is best to avoid threatening phrasing — 'they'll cut you', 'if you don't behave, I'll take you to the doctor' — and using the doctor as a figure of punishment.

First contact as a safe zone

We will send you an adaptive video for children over one year old. The first visit to the clinic is best structured as an introduction: a greeting, introducing staff by name, a short explanation of their roles. It is important to show that doctors are allies who help, not people who cause pain.

Play-based modelling of procedures

Bring your favourite toy, which we will treat. Research and practical guidelines recommend using play: measuring the toy's height and weight, treating a doll, acting out an examination, so the child translates the situation into a familiar and manageable format. This reduces fear of the unknown and lets the child rehearse their reactions.

Visual markers of predictability

Route maps — the familiar route from the video — and a clear daily schedule help the child understand the sequence of events. Pictograms and pictures work for younger children, and a short written plan for teenagers.

Preparing for lab tests

If the child is scheduled for lab tests and, given full confidence in the absence of allergic reactions — there was prior experience with local anaesthesia — we recommend applying EMLA anaesthetic cream at home. If blood is being drawn for the first time, we will do it ourselves before the paediatrician appointment or ultrasound examination — please notify the clinic administrator — so that 40–60 minutes pass after the cream is applied.

Allowing feelings and validation

Children need the right to feel afraid, angry or to cry, without their feelings being dismissed with 'it's nothing', 'stop, it's silly'. It is psychologically sound to name the emotion — 'I can see you're scared' — and to offer a safe way to express it: talking, drawing, a hospital diary.

Supportive communication without lies

It is recommended to avoid 'it won't hurt' where pain is likely, and 'they won't do anything to you' when a procedure is planned. It is better to say: 'it may be unpleasant but brief, the doctor is nearby, we will help' — this builds trust and reduces the risk of losing faith in adults' words.

Physical contact and presence

Time together, touch — holding hands, hugging — calm conversation and play with the child reduce anxiety and help them use the adult as an anchor. If a parent cannot be present at all times, it is important to agree in advance who will be nearby — a nurse, a doctor — and how the parent will stay in touch.

Focusing on successes, not only problems

Psychologists recommend noticing and voicing a child's small successes: 'you're braver today than yesterday', 'you lay still during the scan', 'well done for telling us what you're afraid of'. This strengthens self-esteem and shapes the child's image of themselves as coping, not just as being ill.

Processing the experience and reducing retrospective anxiety

After the procedure it helps to give the child a chance to say what was hard and what was unexpectedly good: new friends, games, being able to bear an injection. Such a debrief helps integrate the experience and reduces fear of future visits.

Reinforcing positive associations

A small reward — playing together, a walk, a little gift — helps link the clinic not only with pain but with attention, success and care. It is important that the reward is not a way of buying silence about fears, but a logical conclusion to a difficult yet successfully completed stage.

Continuing predictability at home

Keeping the daily routine, discussing possible future visits to the doctor and clear rules — 'if it hurts or you're scared, we'll go back to our doctor, they will help' — support a sense of control and reduce the likelihood of anxiety recurring.