Texas Children's child life specialists can help you and your child prepare for a visit and ease fears about medical procedures. Our specialists explain procedures in a kid-friendly way and keep children calm through creative interventions including toys, music, and special breathing techniques.
Having an MRI can be a claustrophobic experience. Your child will be required to lie still inside the MRI scanner for the duration of the exam. However, your child might feel anxious if he/she has never had a MRI before. We may utilize a specialized MRI audio video system with movie goggles depending on the type of scan to make them feel comfortable and reduce anxiety. For infant and toddlers, we suggest scheduling appoints during nap-time in an attempt to have the MRI scan performed while sleeping.
Child Life’s animal-assistant therapy program is also another strategy to Texas Children’s has designed to enhance the emotional well-being of patients and families in the hospital. The animal-assisted therapy dogs provide support to those who may be having trouble coping with a hospital stay, new diagnosis or certain medical procedure.
