AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DISTRACTION TECHNIQUE VS LOCAL COLD APPLICATION ON LEVEL OF PAIN,FEAR & BEHAVIOURAL DISTRESS DURING INTRAVENOUS PROCEDURE AMONG CHILDREN AT SELECTED HOSPITALS IN CHENNAI

A distraction strategy is an activity that takes the children’s mind off the current emotions. Instead of putting the energy into worries and increasing distress, this technique can focus on other things instead to give our mind and body time to calm down.Cold application relieves pain and prevents complications, by slowing down the ability of pain fibres to transmit pain impulses, decreasing edema and inflammation. Cold application prior to the procedure helps in reducing physical distress and making the child comfortable.

     Local cold applications provide transient anaesthesia to the skin within moments of application. Distraction are chosen as the primary intervention because it provides a simple approach in reducing pain and fear that has been shown to be effective in a number of settings since it is easy, economical.Observational assessment is an important component of a comprehensive evaluation of children’s procedural pain.