What is agitation?
Agitation is restless moving, shouting, twitching or jerking of the body. It can be caused by a number of things which include:
- Physical problems such as pain, constipation or an infection
- Psychological issues such as anxiety or bad dreams
- Chemical changes in the body that affect the brain and nerves
What can you do?
- If you feel your child is in pain then a dose of their breakthrough medication may help to settle them
- If your child is able to, then it may be helpful to let them talk about what is on their mind in case the cause of the agitation is psychological
- If the agitation comes on suddenly and is severe then you can give a dose of buccal Midazolam. Please contact your nurse or doctor if you think this is necessary
- Agitation is quite common during the last few days and it is difficult to watch, but it is worth remembering that the involuntary movements or sounds that your child makes are not normally painful or distressing for them
What can your nurse or doctor do to help?
- If your nurse or doctor are able to find a physical cause for the agitation then they can help you to treat your child so that the physical symptom is improved
- They can give medication to reduce anxiety – this can be by mouth or through a continuous subcutaneous infusion