TRAUMATIC CARE AND PEDIATRIC IV MEDICATION: A STUDY ON ALLEVIATING PAIN AND FEAR IN HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN

Abstract

Hospitalization is a challenging experience for children, involving separation from their familiar environments and routines, exposure to clinical settings, medical procedures, and emotional distress. This study examines the impact of hospitalization on pediatric patients, focusing on the short-term and long-term consequences. A retrospective analysis of pediatric emergency department (ED) visits at El-Behera hospitals over a three-month period revealed that 22.5% of the registered patients were children. The literature suggests that hospitalization-induced distress can impede immediate medical procedures and have lasting effects on future healthcare engagement, physical growth, personality development, and emotional well-being. The response of children to hospitalization is influenced by their age and prior experiences. Hospital rules and routines, along with invasive medical interventions like intravenous infusion, can significantly disrupt children's sense of freedom and independence, contributing to discomfort during their hospital stay