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Parents' and children's reactions to taking blood in a nutrition survey
P S Davies1, D L Collins, J R Gregory
1Infant and Child Nutrition Group, MRC Dunn Nutrition Unit, Cambridge.
Insights
Most preschool children experience brief distress during blood draws, though some have prolonged upset. Successful blood collection minimizes distress, highlighting the need for skilled phlebotomy.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Clinical Phlebotomy
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Blood sample collection is common in pediatric healthcare.
- Understanding child and parent reactions is crucial for procedural care.
- Previous research on preschooler responses to phlebotomy is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate parental and child reactions to blood sample requests.
- To assess children's responses during and after blood draw attempts.
- To identify factors influencing distress during pediatric phlebotomy.
Main Methods:
- A national survey included 1859 children aged 1.5-4.5 years.
- Retrospective postal questionnaires were sent to 1157 parents six to 18 months later.
- Data analysis focused on 790 returned questionnaires from successful blood draws.
Main Results:
- Over 50% of children experienced temporary upset (under 5 minutes) during blood draws.
- A significant minority showed distress lasting up to 30 minutes or longer.
- Failed blood draw attempts were associated with increased upset duration and severity.
- 20-27% of children experienced bruising or bleeding.
Conclusions:
- The majority of preschoolers tolerate blood draws with minimal, short-lived distress.
- A substantial minority experience significant and prolonged distress.
- Optimizing phlebotomy technique and expertise can reduce child distress.
- Balancing procedural benefits against risks requires considering these reactions.
Objective:
To assess the reactions of parents and their children to the request for a blood sample and an attempt to take blood.
Methods:
1859 children aged 1.5-4.5 years took part in a national survey of diet and nutrition. A retrospective inquiry of the parents' and children's reported reactions was carried out six to 18 months later by postal questionnaire sent only to the 1157 who had given consent for an attempt to take blood.
Results:
866 questionnaires were returned; 790 were from parents of children in whom an attempt to take blood had been successful. Thirteen per cent said that their child had given blood previously. About 30% discussed the request with the family doctor or nurse. Some 90% said that they were given enough information and that the phlebotomist was sympathetic. Attempting to take blood caused upset in over 50%, which, in most, lasted for less than five minutes. A substantial minority were upset for up to 30 minutes and a few much longer. Bruising or bleeding occurred in 20-27%. Degree and duration of upset were both adversely associated with a failed attempt to obtain blood.
Conclusion:
The majority of preschool children experienced no more than a little upset of short duration after an attempt to take blood, but a substantial minority exhibited a greater degree of upset. These responses should be taken into account when assessing the benefits and risks of the procedure. The best equipment and expertise should be employed for taking blood as successful attempts are less upsetting.
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