Caring for Patients with Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal emotional and physiological response to uncomfortable, novel or frightening situations. During an emergency department (ED) visit, anxiety can be experienced by any child or adolescent as well as by their caregivers. It may be the primary reason for the visit or develop during assessments, procedures, or investigations. How individuals experience anxiety during an ED visit can vary. Approaches to recognize, assess and manage anxiety need to be patient- and family-centred.