Distraction has been shown to reduce distress in children undergoing venepuncture. Gemma Murphy examines the issues revealed by studies of various techniques

Venepuncture is one of the most feared hospital procedures for children and inadequate pain management has the potential to affect future care. Distraction has been shown to help to reduce procedural distress in children. A thematic analysis of relevant literature on distraction techniques revealed that passive distraction is more effective than active distraction during venepuncture and that the effectiveness of a particular technique depends on the attention capacity of the child and their engagement in the distraction activity.