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Speaking Up

When a dressing is being changed, your healthcare professional or whoever else is doing the change will want to know how much pain it is causing.

They may simply ask you or they may use formal pain assessment scales to tell them how bad it is.

Despite this, they rely on you to tell them if the procedure is causing increased pain. So, if the pain is bad, or it is getting worse, don't grit your teeth and bear it, tell them immediately.

Speaking up is even more important if you are the parent of a child who is having a dressing changed.

  • You know better than anyone how your child behaves when he or she is in pain
  • You are the best judge of his or her level of distress

Tell the person doing the dressing change.