Placing i.v. lines in children

Question

Which possibilities are there to place an i.v. line less painful (child, 8 years old, great fear, needs an infusion 3 times a day for 14 days)?

Answer

Hello,
you ask, how an i.v. line can be placed as painless as possible, as your child needs for 2 weeks an i.v. therapy with 3 times daily infusion. I assume, that your child suffers from CF. Such a 2 weeks i.v. therapy can well be done at home. As access to the veins, an i.v. line or a so-called mini-catheter should be used. Before punction of the skin, it can be anesthetized with a local anesthetic (e.g. Emla® patch). If such a i.v. line is placed and fixed well, it is possible, that only a single or maximally two i.v. lines are necessary for the 2 weeks duration of the therapy. This of course depends also on the kind of veins of your child and of the local tolerance of the antibiotic drug.
I wish your and your child much luck with the treatment.
Best regards,
Dr. H.-G. Posselt

21.08.2014