Pain and anxiety in venous punctuation in children with and without developmental problems

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of anxiety and the intensity of pain related to the invasive venipuncture procedure in children with and without developmental disorders. In a sample of 60 children, 44 with no developmental disturbance (SPD) and 16 with dis- ease (DPC), aged 5 to 12 years (M = 8.63, SD = 2.44), the intensity of pain ("imagined" / "felt") was assessed using the Faces Pain Scale (FPS-R), and the degree of anxiety ("anticipatory" / "verified") through the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The results showed that, only in the group of children CPD, the anticipatory anxiety is superior to the verified anxiety. For both groups, there was a strong association between the values of "anticipatory" and "verified" anxiety and "imagined" and "felt" pain. The two groups do not differ in terms of pain intensity nor in terms of anxiety. The associations found between pain and anxiety in the venipuncture procedure reinforce the investment of the pediatric approach in acute pain, both in procedural terms and in terms of the interaction of health professionals with children, especially those who are development.

Keywords

• crianças
• punção venosa
• ansiedade
• dor
• problemas de desenvolvimento