Keep calm: Booklets aim to conquer children's anxiety

Children undergoing MR or CT imaging are often unsure of what the exams will entail and thus anxious about them. To overcome their fears, an Italian radiographer has created two free-to-download booklets that can help them better understand these procedures.

Giuseppe Scappatura, from the Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Bianchi Melacrino Morelli in Reggio Calabria, wrote theGiuseppe Scappatura of the Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Bianchi Melacrino Morelli in Reggio Calabria, Italy.booklets out of a desire to "help children and their families face the examination with greater serenity and collaboration," he told AuntMinnieEurope.

"In my daily work in radiology, I often meet children who arrive frightened because they don't know what to expect," he said. "This fear can make the examination more difficult for both them and the staff."

The two illustrated booklets are called "Sofia and the Magic Machine" (for MRI) and "The Portal of Images" (for CT). Scappatura produced printed copies and gifted them to the pediatrics and pediatric hematology-oncology departments of his hospital. The booklets are written from a child's point of view, he said, "to help children feel like the protagonists of the story and turn the exam into a moment of discovery." They are in both Italian and English.

"Sofia and the Magic Machine"

"Sofia and the Magic Machine" explains what happens before, during, and after an MRI exam in a clear and reassuring way, according to Scappatura, helping children manage fears related to the machine's noises, emphasizing the need to stay still, and describing the proximity of the coil.

"The Portal of Images" presents CT as"The Portal of Images" an adventure with "levels to unlock" (i.e., skull, chest, abdomen, heart) and introduces concepts such as the importance of staying still, breath-hold, use of contrast, and the As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) principle. It includes short dialogues to encourage the child's cooperation during the exam, Scappatura said.

The booklets not only help children undergoing these exams, but also their parents or guardians, he noted.

"Parents can feel more prepared to guide their child through the experience with greater peace of mind," he said.

Scappatura hopes the booklets will transform the CT and MR imaging experience "into a story … an adventure filled with discoveries, smiles, and teamwork," he told AuntMinnieEurope.

"Explaining things with simple and reassuring words helps children feel like the heroes of the story," he said.

The booklets are free to download, Scappatura noted.