Creating a Child-Friendly Emergency Department: A Guide for Emergency Medicine Physicians

According to JAMA, over 30 million pediatric visits to emergency departments occur each year. While emergency medicine physicians strive to offer excellent care for all patients, treating children in the emergency department presents unique challenges. Children often experience fear and anxiety in unfamiliar environments, which can exacerbate their symptoms and make it more difficult to provide effective care. That’s why it’s essential to create a child-friendly emergency department where young patients feel safe, comfortable and cared for. Here are some strategies to make your emergency department more welcoming to children and their families:

1. Designate a Pediatric Area: Having a dedicated pediatric section in the emergency department can make a significant difference in how children perceive their experience. This area should be brightly colored and decorated with child-friendly themes to help put young patients at ease. Consider including toys, games, and age-appropriate books to distract children while they wait for treatment.
2. Train Staff in Pediatric Care: All staff members, from physicians to nurses to administrative personnel, should receive specialized training in pediatric care.For example, in the Board of Certified Professional Emergency Nursing Spotlight, clinical nurse educator Tony D’Amato highlights the importance of ensuring nurses have an awareness of factors like the ethnic, cultural, and spiritual needs of different patients and families. Other important topics include communicating effectively with children, recognizing signs of distress or abuse, and administering medication dosages based on a child’s age and weight.
3. Provide Comfort Items: Simple comforts can go a long way in calming anxious children and creating a child-friendly emergency department. Keep blankets, stuffed animals, and other comfort items readily available in the pediatric area for children to use during their visit. Additionally, offering snacks and beverages can help ease hunger and thirst while waiting for treatment.
4. Use Child-Friendly Language: When communicating with pediatric patients and their families, use language that is clear, concise, and age-appropriate. Avoid using medical jargon and instead explain procedures and diagnoses in terms that children can understand. PainWeek provides a helpful example: instead of saying “The nurse is going to take some blood,” use procedural and sensory language like “First, the nurse is going to clean your arm, you will feel a cold alcohol pad,” next….”
5. Involve Parents and Caregivers: A child-friendly emergency department takes care of parents and caregivers too—they play a crucial role in comforting and reassuring children during their time in the ED. Encourage family members to stay with their child whenever possible and involve them in decision-making regarding treatment options. Keep families informed about their child’s condition and progress, and encourage open communication between medical staff and parents.
6. Minimize Wait Times: Long wait times can be especially challenging for children and their families. Implement strategies to minimize wait times in the pediatric area, such as prioritizing pediatric patients, streamlining registration and triage processes, and communicating openly about expected wait times. The ACEP cites nurse-initiated emergency care pathways for initial assessment as a way of minimizing provider-related delays.
7. Offer Distraction Techniques: Distraction can be a powerful tool in managing pain and anxiety in pediatric patients. Provide distractions such as handheld electronic devices, interactive toys, or videos to help children focus their attention away from their discomfort during procedures or treatments.

Takeaways

By implementing these strategies, emergency medicine physicians can help create a more child-friendly emergency department, where pediatric patients feel safe, supported, and cared for during their time of need. By prioritizing the unique needs of children and their families, we can ensure that every child who enters the emergency department receives the compassionate and effective care they deserve.