What is medical stress?

Medical stress refers to physical and emotional responses to pain, injury, serious illness, medical procedures, hospitalisation or invasive or frightening treatment experiences.

Medical stress can vary from mild to severe and presents differently depending on the age of the child and previous life experiences. It can go up and down throughout a child’s medical journey.

A new injury, acute illness, diagnosis or the start of medical treatment can be stressful and overwhelming for children and families. These reactions are normal. With the right support, children and families are resilient and recover well together. We’ve listed some resources to help children and families prepare for their medical journey and cope with stressful experiences.

Some children and families benefit from more specialised psychological support.
See the mental health resources section below and our CARE Trauma Resilience Intervention page for more information.

Preparing for hospital and medical procedures

Getting ready for a stay in hospital or medical procedure takes emotional and practical preparation. These resources may help.

Coping in hospital

There are many services available to support children with pain management, mental health and wellbeing, and preparing for procedures. The Queensland Children’s Hospital family services and facilities page provides advice and support.

Coping with medical traumatic stress

These resources help parents recognise and understand signs of medical traumatic stress in children and adults. There’s practical advice on how parents and caregivers can look after themselves while supporting their child in the first few weeks after an injury, illness, or medical procedure.

These tipsheets provide specific advice about supporting children’s social and emotional wellbeing after medical trauma.

Coping tools and resources for emotional wellbeing and relaxation

Condition specific resources

Visit our health A to Z guide for information on specific conditions, symptoms and treatments.

Visit our resource library for publications, videos and other resources.

Mental health resources

Coping with a child’s injury, illness or medical condition can be tough. If medical stress gets worse, hinders the child’s medical care, interferes with daily life, or affects relationships, professional support may be helpful.

Do you need immediate support?

Call Triple Zero (000) if someone’s life is in immediate danger.

If you or someone you are caring for needs support, here are some options available for free all day, every day of the year:

Mental health support in the community

  • Your child’s treating medical team or general practitioner (GP) is the best place to start. They can provide information, resources, and advice on which type of professional support can best help your child’s recovery and provide referrals.
  • Parent help lines: The Raising Children Network has a comprehensive list of parent helplines and hotlines
  • Child health Service: offers universal child health clinics and parenting advice and support.
  • Headspace: Australia’s National Youth Mental Health Foundation, providing early intervention mental health services (12-25 year olds).
  • Child and Youth Mental Health Services: free public mental health service for children and young people (0-18 years) with severe or complex mental health needs.
  • Infant, child and youth mental health professionals:

Need help finding support?

For more information about the role of different mental health practitioners, see: Practitioners speak - Emerging Minds

Pregnancy Birth and Baby: Australian Government service offering support and information for expecting parents, and parents of children 0-5 years. Call 1800 882 436 (7am-midnight, 7 days a week).

Emerging Minds: Provides useful resources and information to help build support networks for you and your child.

Healthdirect’s National Health Services Directory can help you to find a GP, counsellor, psychologist or other health professional in your local area.

Head to Health: National mental health website to help navigate and connect to mental health and wellbeing services. For support options that might be relevant for your family’s background or identity try:

Online information and intervention programs

Medical trauma

Trauma

Parenting and mental health

Evidence-based online programs are freely available, to support children experiencing anxiety:

Online ProgramsAgeDescription
The BRAVE program 3-17 years Interactive, online treatment program for child and adolescent anxiety.
Fear-Less Triple P 6+ years Online parenting course to help children overcome anxiety and build emotional resilience.
Momentum
(momentumhub.org.au)		 7-17 years Tailored online treatment programs to help children and adolescents learn new ways to cope with feelings of anxiety and/or unhappiness, sleep difficulties, and substance use.

Last updated: November 2024

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