Skip to main content

Advertising Disclaimer »

Main menu

  • Journals
    • Pediatrics
    • Hospital Pediatrics
    • Pediatrics in Review
    • NeoReviews
    • AAP Grand Rounds
    • AAP News
  • Authors/Reviewers
    • Submit Manuscript
    • Author Guidelines
    • Reviewer Guidelines
    • Open Access
    • Editorial Policies
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Online First
    • Archive
    • Blogs
    • Topic/Program Collections
    • NCE Meeting Abstracts
  • AAP Policy
  • Supplements
  • Multimedia
  • Subscribe
  • Alerts
  • Careers
  • Other Publications
    • American Academy of Pediatrics

User menu

  • Log in

Search

  • Advanced search
American Academy of Pediatrics

AAP Gateway

Advanced Search

AAP Logo

  • Log in
  • Journals
    • Pediatrics
    • Hospital Pediatrics
    • Pediatrics in Review
    • NeoReviews
    • AAP Grand Rounds
    • AAP News
  • Authors/Reviewers
    • Submit Manuscript
    • Author Guidelines
    • Reviewer Guidelines
    • Open Access
    • Editorial Policies
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Online First
    • Archive
    • Blogs
    • Topic/Program Collections
    • NCE Meeting Abstracts
  • AAP Policy
  • Supplements
  • Multimedia
  • Subscribe
  • Alerts
  • Careers
American Academy of Pediatrics
Article

The “Cough Trick:” A Brief Strategy to Manage Pediatric Pain From Immunization Injections

Dustin P. Wallace, Keith D. Allen, Amy E. Lacroix and Sheryl L. Pitner
Pediatrics February 2010, 125 (2) e367-e373; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2009-0539
Dustin P. Wallace
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Keith D. Allen
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Amy E. Lacroix
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Sheryl L. Pitner
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Metrics
  • Comments
Loading

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.

Download PDF

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The goal was to investigate the effect of a “cough trick” technique on self-reported pain of children receiving routine immunizations. The strategy requires minimal equipment, time, or training for parents, children, and nursing staff members.

METHODS: A randomized, controlled, unblinded, within-subject study of 68 children receiving prekindergarten (ages 4–5) or pre–junior high school (ages 11–13) immunizations was performed. Participants were recruited from an outpatient pediatric clinic at a large public hospital in the Midwest. The strategy required a single “warm-up” cough of moderate force, followed by a second cough that coincided with needle puncture. The principle outcome was self-reported pain, although parent and nurse report of pain was used to support the accuracy of self-report. Older participants and all nurses completed a measure of their satisfaction with the procedure.

RESULTS: In the initial analysis, the procedure was found not to be effective. However, post hoc tests revealed that the procedure was effective at a statistically and clinically significant level for participants identified as Hispanic white or non-Hispanic white but not for those identified as non-Hispanic black. Participants and clinic nurses found the procedure acceptable and effective.

CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the cough trick can be an effective strategy for the reduction of pain for some children undergoing routine immunizations. However, additional research is needed to clarify the observed moderation by self-identified race.

  • cross-cultural comparison
  • distraction
  • immunization
  • injection
  • pain management
  • Accepted August 15, 2009.
  • Copyright © 2010 by the American Academy of Pediatrics
View Full Text

Log in using your username and password

Forgot your user name or password?

Log in through your institution

You may be able to gain access using your login credentials for your institution. Contact your library if you do not have a username and password.
If your organization uses OpenAthens, you can log in using your OpenAthens username and password. To check if your institution is supported, please see this list. Contact your library for more details.

Pay Per Article - You may access this article (from the computer you are currently using) for 2 days for US$25.00

Regain Access - You can regain access to a recent Pay per Article purchase if your access period has not yet expired.

Offer Reprints

PreviousNext
Back to top

Advertising Disclaimer »

In this issue

Pediatrics
Vol. 125, Issue 2
1 Feb 2010
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author
View this article with LENS
PreviousNext
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on American Academy of Pediatrics.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
The “Cough Trick:” A Brief Strategy to Manage Pediatric Pain From Immunization Injections
(Your Name) has sent you a message from American Academy of Pediatrics
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the American Academy of Pediatrics web site.
Request Permissions
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Citation Tools
The “Cough Trick:” A Brief Strategy to Manage Pediatric Pain From Immunization Injections
Dustin P. Wallace, Keith D. Allen, Amy E. Lacroix, Sheryl L. Pitner
Pediatrics Feb 2010, 125 (2) e367-e373; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2009-0539

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
The “Cough Trick:” A Brief Strategy to Manage Pediatric Pain From Immunization Injections
Dustin P. Wallace, Keith D. Allen, Amy E. Lacroix, Sheryl L. Pitner
Pediatrics Feb 2010, 125 (2) e367-e373; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2009-0539
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
Print
Download PDF
Insight Alerts
  • Table of Contents

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • METHODS
    • RESULTS
    • DISCUSSION
    • ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
    • Footnotes
    • REFERENCES
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Metrics
  • Comments

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.
  • Scopus
  • PubMed
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • No citing articles found.
  • Scopus (13)
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Trends in Trampoline Fractures: 2008–2017
  • Global Health Experience and Interest: Results From the AAP Periodic Survey
  • Distinct Populations of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Based on Age
Show more 20

Similar Articles

Subjects

  • Allergy/Immunology
    • Allergy/Immunology
  • Journal Info
  • Editorial Board
  • Editorial Policies
  • Overview
  • Authors/Reviewers
  • Author Guidelines
  • Submit My Manuscript
  • Open Access
  • Reviewer Guidelines
  • Librarians
  • Licensing Information
  • Usage Stats
  • Support
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • International Access
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • FAQ
  • RSS Feeds
  • AAP.org
  • shopAAP
  • Follow American Academy of Pediatrics on Instagram
  • Visit American Academy of Pediatrics on Facebook
  • Follow American Academy of Pediatrics on Twitter
  • Follow American Academy of Pediatrics on Youtube
  • RSS
American Academy of Pediatrics

© 2019 American Academy of Pediatrics