Parental holding and positioning to decrease IV distress in young children: a randomized controlled trial.

Young children are generally restrained in supine position for IV starts, a position that creates fear but is presumed necessary. This study randomly assigned children of ages 9 months to 4 years (N = 118) to being held upright by a parent or lying flat on an exam table for their IV procedure. Distress scores as rated by the Procedure Behavior Rating Scale were significantly lower in the upright positioning group (p = .