The experience of hospital-related fears of 4-to 6-year-old children

: Salmela M, Aronen ET, Salantera S

Publisher: WILEY-BLACKWELL

: 2011

Child: Care, Health and Development

: CHILD CARE HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT

: CHILD CARE HLTH DEV

: 5

: 37

: 5

: 719

: 726

: 8

: 0305-1862

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2010.01171.x

Conclusions For young children, an experience of hospital-related might be so traumatic that it influences the well-being of the child. The fear may damage the sense of security felt by the children, and weaken the child's willingness to trust health-care professionals. The children often expressed their fear in a contradictory manner or denied it. Children need the help of adults to express their hospital-related fears, including the objects of these fears.