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Title: Young children´s (3-6 years) perceptions of care situations including medical examinations and needle procedures

Authors: Anna Stålberg, RN, MSc, PhD-student, School of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Mälardalen University, Sweden; Anette Sandberg, Professor, PhD, School of Education, Culture and Communication, Mälardalen University, Sweden; Maja Söderbäck, PhD, RN, Pediatric Nurse, Associate professor, School of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Mälardalen University, Sweden

Affiliation: Mälardalen University

Co-productions partners: Nobab, County council of Sörmland, Quicksearch, the Swedish Heritage Fund

Aim: To explore and describe young children´s perceptions of being in care situations, including medical examinations and needle procedures.

Background: Research shows that children express a wish of active involvement in care situations. Barriers for involvement are found to concern weak health literacy among the young children. Young children have limited opportunities to access, comprehend and communicate information on health issues. Further there is a lack of knowledge of the child´s own perspective in perceiving the care situations.

Method: A phenomenographic inspired approach with interviews and observations was conducted to explore children´s perceptions through their verbal and non-verbal expressions.

Findings:  The outcome space describe four areas of the children’s perceptions: about myself, about parents, about professionals and about the specific care situation. Myself was understood as being both as main and co-actor. Feelings evoked by the situation were described. Parents were perceived as being present and close. The professionals were understood as actors in care procedures and as different types. The specific care situation was perceived by the body in focus, by being in a different environment and by receiving a benefit.

Implications: The young children´s perspective, by describing their varied perceptions in a care situation, will improve and support the professionals’ interactive communication and enable joint understanding in a care situation.