Cortisol Measurement During Intravenous Access With a Medical Clown

Level of Cortisol in Stress Response During Intravenous Access in the Pediatric Emergency Department With a Medical Clown: a Randomized Prospective Pilot Study

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the presence of a medical clown in a pediatric emergency department procedure room would reduce children's anxiety. The investigators hypothesize that this positive influence will be expressed as lower levels of the stress hormone (Cortisol) in the blood.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients needing venous blood sampling or insertion of an intravenous canula
• Normal development according to parents

Exclusion Criteria:

• Critically ill children (e.g. shock, respiratory distress or failure)
• Children whose blood work or intravenous canula must be obtained rapidly for therapeutic reasons (e.g. antibiotic administration in a patient with severe bacterial infections)
• Known adrenal or pituitary disease
• Children who have received glucocorticoids during the preceeding six weeks