Comfort Plan for Blood Tests

About This Resource

Blood tests are one of the most common needle procedures kids go through, and often a major source of stress for everyone involved. Going in with a solid coping plan helps kids use research proven strategies to feel more comfortable and in control. This worksheet walks kids through the many choices that are theirs to make, like where they sit, using numbing cream, what they focus on, whether they watch or not. Digital tools like SuperMeg are great, but sometimes it helps to fill something out together, on paper, before the day arrives.

How To Use This Resource

Have your child fill it out before the appointment. A few days ahead is ideal — it’s usually a calmer conversation than the morning of — but filling it out in the waiting room still helps. It give kids a chance to work though any worried feelings, and give them (and you) a chance to practice the strategies they want to use. Parents are often tempted just to not mention anything until they are already on the way to the lab, but it’s a bad idea because it deprives kids of a chance to use their skills to cope. A blood test is an opportunity to conquer a challenge and manage their fear.

The point is the sense of choice and control, which lowers anxiety and makes the draw go better. Bring it with you and show the person doing the blood test so they can follow the plan.

Who Is This For

Kids, parents, and providers.