If your child is worried about coming to their hospital appointment, you can ask a member of staff for a 'Hospital Passport Coping Kit' when you arrive at the hospital. This will give you and your child ways to help reduce your child’s worries and help them prepare for their visit.
This short video talks about why we developed the Hospital Passport Coping Kit and what is in it:
Play Specialist Service
If your child is distressed about particular tests or procedures at their appointment, you can ask for a Play Specialist to come along to support your child.
Play Specialists are trained to use play and distraction techniques to help relax children and to support them during tests and procedures.
If your child has become distressed at previous appointments, you can phone the Play Specialist department to ask for help before any future appointments. Telephone: 0141 452 4009.
Other sources of support
Where a child or young person is particularly distressed and is felt to need additional psychological or psychiatric support, a member of staff can make a referral to the Paediatric Clinical Psychology or Paediatric Liaison Psychology services for assessment and advice.
This site provides helpful videos and leaflets to prepare children and teenagers for what to expect when they come to hospital for an outpatient appointment, investigation or planned stay.
These are ‘easy to read’ information sheets from Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, for young children and children with learning disabilities, which explain what happens when you come for a hospital appointment. These include information on coming along for a CT scan, a blood test or an ECG, among others.
This resource has lots of good information and strategies on how best to prepare your child with Autistic Spectrum Disorder for having a blood test carried out, but could be applied to all young children.
Editorial Information
Last reviewed:
12/01/2021
Next review date:
26/03/2024
We are one of the leading paediatric care centres in the UK, and the largest in Scotland. We provide family centred care to newborns, infants, children and young people both in hospital and in the community.