Connecticut Children’s Commitment to Comfort Posted on September 21, 2017 Connecticut Children’s Medical Center is committed to being a place where the pain of medical treatment is minimized as much as possible. Although we may not be able to take away all the pain, we will make every effort to reduce it. At Connecticut Children’s, expert medical care and comfort go together. In honor of Pain Week, we’re sharing our guiding principles as a Comfort Central hospital and how we work with patients and families to reduce pain. Our Guiding Principles Your child has the right to the best pain relief possible. As a parent/caregiver, you are the expert on your child and you know him or her better than anyone else. You can help us understand when your child is in pain and how to best help. If you feel your child has pain that is not being addressed, ask us. Our nursing and medical staff want to help. Child Life staff is also available to help children cope with pain and the stress of hospitalization. We have clinical staff who are experts in pain control for children. We all work together to help your child. Your child’s room should be a safe place. Whenever possible, we will bring you and your child to a treatment room when a medical procedure needs to be done. Needles are very frightening to children, but sometimes they are necessary. Whenever possible, we try to use local anesthetics (medicine that helps with pain) and other techniques to reduce pain during these procedures. Distraction is often helpful during these procedures and the Child Life staff are experts in these techniques. We encourage you to ask for them. Familiar items from home may help provide comfort to your child. Feel free to bring a favorite pillow and/or blankets, music, a video or a small photo from home. We are all on the same team, working together to keep your child as comfortable as we can. Although we may not be able to make all of the pain go away, we can do everything possible to help your child heal. Learn more about Connecticut Children’s Division of Pain and Palliative Medicine
