Up, up, and away. Then Kuttner taught Lesley to use her imagination. The payoff came in the hospital. Curled up in a tight ball as technicians readied the needle, Lesley would mentally take herself out of the room, up in a hot-air balloon looking down over rolling, green fields. Such techniques are now common practice in children's oncology clinics.
Some distractions require props.
Blowing soap bubbles forces controlled breathing, and the pretty bubbles draw the child's attention away from the pain of a procedure. Biofeedback, a technique often used to relax muscles and control pain in adults, is even more effective with children, who are adept at telling themselves stories that can ease their pain. A headache starts with the blood vessels growing larger. Thinking cool thoughts can shrink them and avert a migraine. But as the migraine proceeds, the vessels become small.