An introduction to elective management and preparation

An introduction to elective management and preparation
Welcome to this session which forms part of the Management of Procedure-Induced Anxiety in Children programme.

This session provides an overview of elective management of procedure-induced anxiety (PIA). This requires management in advance of any anxiogenic stimulus to avoid psychological trauma, subsequent psychological morbidity and long-standing negative impact upon the child and their development.

Key points

• Gold standard anxiety management is preventive.
• This necessitates screening prior to intervention which should be carried out as part of pre-assessment.
• The majority of patients who experience mild or moderate anxiety can be managed with an augmented or bespoke approach within a standard pathway.
• Children experiencing extreme anxiety, phobic responses to healthcare interventions and PTSD will require elective specialist psychological input prior to intervention.
• With time, multidisciplinary anxiety management teams may form coordinated anxiety management services.