Inspired to do better, Friedrichsdorf helped roll out a straightforward procedure for making vaccinations and blood draws less painful for kids. First, clinicians apply numbing cream. Then, when the needle goes in, parents or staff distract kids with toys, books, or songs; babies can also breastfeed or have a drop of sugar water. And the whole thing happens in a caregiver’s embrace, rather than while held down on an exam table. Many doctors minimize the importance of pain management, Friedrichsdorf says. But making medical treatment less unpleasant encourages parents to keep getting their kids care. Not only that, improving childhood vaccination experiences can prevent kids from growing up to be needle-phobic adults who avoid shots and other treatments, potentially improving public health for generations to come. More FromTIME100 HealthBashar MuradBy Jamie Ducharme Write to Jamie Ducharme at jamie.ducharme@time.com Devastating flash floods in Valencia, Spain, at the end of October significantly affected the country’s third-largest city Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and their neighbors lost lives and property when about a year’s worth of rain fell in just a few hours Church members and missionaries from around the country worked in the days and weeks afterward to clean up the mud and debris and bring donations people needed spiritual and emotional relief as well Many were struggling and suffering after losing their homes When Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles ministered to the Saints in November he said later about the experience: “We greeted cried together and shared the love of the Savior with them I thought that was the most important thing we could do that day — we all felt closer to Jesus Christ I felt like the Savior was embracing all of us.” Church members throughout Spain and Europe have been reaching out to support their brothers and sisters in Valencia Many supported the area with volunteers and goods Family Services manager in the Europe Central Area “We are often ready to respond to natural disasters by providing support for temporal needs and often we forget that there are also emotional needs that may not seem that evident but are needed to address,” she said which is a Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking ward in the Friedrichsdorf Germany Stake “They came up with this idea to put together an emotional first aid kit for them,” Gutiérrez said The first thing was to write a letter of hope Each member of the ward wrote a letter of hope to include.” Gutiérrez said Family Services put together resources and handouts for the Valencia stake and especially the Catarroja Ward which was particularly affected by the flooding The information included tips and resources for taking care of one’s own emotional well-being after the disaster — including ways to identify feelings look to express gratitude and other coping mechanisms Led by the Friedrichsdorf 2nd Ward Relief Society president the encouraging letters from Germany were placed with printed self-help material and information from Family Services into a kit with other items — such as chocolate herbal teas and hand lotion — “to help them disconnect and focus on something positive in the present,” Gutiérrez said The kits were shipped to Valencia in November from the Catarroja Ward in the Valencia stake said the emotional first aid kit was of great value to her during a difficult and traumatic time And the counsel calmed her anxiety and gave her guidance for decisions she needed to make such as taking some time to take deep breaths to lower my blood pressure a little and relax — also thinking about all those beautiful little things that they sent here,” she said “It made me so thankful that in the distance there are people who remember you pray for you and are looking out for your needs.” Díez works with the Church’s humanitarian services office in Europe and Gutiérrez said the whole effort turned out to be a great example of collaboration between local leaders Family Services and the humanitarian division The five principles in the discussion guide are: (Michael Stack | Special to The Tribune Frankfurt Temple from above The building in the left lower corner is a historic-style German timber frame in Friedrichsdorf Germany • Swiss Latter-day Saints sit side by side in the pews with Ecuadorians and Ghanaians make up as much as a fourth of some German congregations Temples are built in villages squeezed between buildings rather than set apart by lush lawns and parking lots (Michael Stack | Special to The Tribune) The Frankfurt Temple in Friedrichsdorf A regional headquarters for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Frankfurt, Germany, resembles a Google campus, and the faith’s teens party with 20,000 Catholics and 70,000 Protestants at religious festivals. Latter-day Saints across the political spectrum, from far right to far left, all feel at home in the American-born faith, while women serve as advisers to the church’s male area authorities This is European-style Mormonism (think German apostle Dieter Uchtdorf) and That’s due partly to the waves of immigrants that have poured over the Continent in the past decade — and to the vision of the church’s European leaders to build bridges with folks of other faiths There’s new energy — and optimism — about the future of the Utah-based religion in the Central Europe region European immigrants journeyed to Utah and “rescued” the church in the 19th century “when it was struggling,” says Dinis (pronounced Dee-neesh) Adriano communication director for the faith’s Central European area There are many multigenerational Latter-day Saints in Europe great-grandparents or great-great-grandparents were converted by mostly American missionaries They formed a strong foundation for the faith the assistant communication director for the Europe Central Area Grünke’s Polish grandmother met a pair of Latter-day Saint proselytizers when she moved to a tiny German village in the 1950s Members encircled the widow and her three children going out of their way to support and sustain her The closest congregation was about 25 kilometers away, so it was quite a trek for the two “home teachers” who faithfully visited her on their bikes, Grünke explains on a recent “Mormon Land” podcast “The guy with a wooden leg would sing or talk the entire time while they were riding their bicycles,” the German Latter-day Saint says “so that the blind guy would know where to go.” Their service wasn’t just about making sure his grandmother stayed in the fold but about listening and hearing her and building her up That’s the faith and service Grünke inherited from his grandmother and what he hopes the church in Europe exemplifies many if not most of those who are joining the church are migrants from other nations recently invited two “sister” (female) missionaries over for dinner The young women told the couple that they “are asking some of the members of the ward [congregation] to assist them in practicing their German and German pronunciation,” he says “They both agreed that they had never taught in German.” Most of those willing to hear their religious message Martin Bates, former superintendent of Utah’s Granite School District, currently presides with his wife, Donna, over the Alpine German-Speaking Mission The church in Germany “is much more diverse than 40 years ago,” when he was a young missionary “Door knocking was never a high-return activity but missionaries do it and meet people who want to learn more approaching half who are not native German speakers choose to bind themselves to Christ through the covenant of baptism.” (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Missionaries performing service in France but most are pleasantly surprised that the stories they have been told about Europe and Germans are greatly exaggerated,” he says but most people are pleased to speak standardized German especially when they see how much effort missionaries are putting in.” Helmut Winterstein was bishop twice of a Hamberg ward — first from 1986 to 1990 and then from 2005 to 2010 Sunday attendance ranged from 100 to 110; in the second some died and some withdrew,” Winterstein says one reason is that the Germans are [prosperous] and think that they don’t need God Others are turned away from faith because of the bad things that happen in the world (How can God permit this?).” attendance is about 40 people in the sacrament meeting there are more Africans joining the church than Germans.” Immigrants are crucial to Latter-day Saint growth in France a Hungarian convert who oversees publishing services for the church’s Central Europe office They are even rarer in Eastern European countries, Dánielné Mester says. “In Hungary, there are no immigrants. But the church is growing there, and so we are just waiting for the temple to be built in Budapest.”' (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) A rendering of the Budapest Hungary Temple (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Missionaries ride transit in Hungary Gaining converts through members is “much [more productive] than finding on any other channels — by missionaries online or whatever — because you see the life and how they live the gospel and how it makes them happy,” she says “mainly because of the internet because we don’t have missionaries there.” After conversion comes the hard part — integrating new members from diverse backgrounds into long-established It is building Zion at its best — part of Mormon theology (Wilfried Decoo) Wilfried Decoo is a Latter-day Saint from Belgium The global faith of 17.2 million members appeals to immigrants who have been uprooted from their homes do not know the language of the host country and are looking for a supportive network to help them navigate the changes The church attracts those “in search of a welcoming, new community and offers an example of inclusion and diversity,” says Wilfried Decoo, a longtime member emeritus instructor at church-owned Brigham Young University and retired linguistics professor in Antwerp “Immigrant converts are often quickly involved in the services (prayers A few integrate well if they are willing to learn the language and eager to become part of the local culture “Cultural differences sometimes put tolerance to the test such as exuberant lengthy testimonies and talks “social groups often form along racial and nationality lines,” he says “All are one during meetings but then split into their social groups.” Local lay leaders are not always able “to handle social mental and financial needs of immigrants,” Decoo says “in particular if they are not legally in the country.” which counts over 700 members on its records while the other half come from 62 countries Regular church attendance runs between 120 and 130 pegs the percentage of baptisms the past two years at 70% immigrants and 30% Flemish/Dutch “Our foreign immigrants are accepted and included in our ward just fine Many of them interact amicably with the Flemish and Dutch members,” he writes in an email “Both Africans and Spanish immigrants have strong mutual ties and new Africans or Spanish speakers are warmly welcomed by their compatriots.” The “social and financial needs among immigrants are not greater than others many of them have fine jobs and good incomes He notes one concern: few immigrants in leadership positions “but the lack of Dutch language proficiency seems to make leadership positions very difficult.” the church’s communication director for Central Europe because these diverse cultures all have something in common: faith in Jesus Christ just have “to make sure their ward communities are welcoming that anybody new coming in will feel embraced by that and feel loved.” “We’re very judgmental — it’s something we need to improve.” (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Latter-day Saints and friends of the faith listen to a devotional with apostle Dieter F served on a City Council and ran as an independent on the Green Party ballot “The political spectrum among Latter-day Saints being active in politics…is much broader [in Europe] than it is in Utah,” he says in the 2024 Deseret Book volume “Faith and Politics: Latter-day Saint Politicians Tell Their Stories.” “I know Latter-day Saints…who are active in conservative parties but I get the impression that on Continental Europe church members tend to lean toward the political left.” Of course, the church as an organization is “politically neutral,” he affirms but encourages members to “get involved and follow their own convictions.” It may be exciting for members to see this Latter-day Saint “melting pot” in Europe there are not enough members for the young to date and find spouses within the faith What can the church do to help kids stay in their own countries, Adriano wonders, rather than send them to BYU to find an eternal partner especially when higher education in Europe is virtually free There is not yet a “critical mass” of young Latter-day Saints in Europe to pair them up There may be only 20 to 30 youths of marriageable age in any place “who share their beliefs and values.” And so many look outside the faith or the Continent for spouses Church leaders are “looking into this,” Adriano says “This process is just in its infant stages — looking at education and economics that will help the rising generation stay in their countries.” In the meantime, the church sponsors For the Strength of Youth (FSY) conferences in Europe throughout the summer along with “Festinord,” a Latter-day Saint festival for young single adults from Nordic countries (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Julia Wondra of Vienna was in the first group of women to be chosen as “international area organization advisers" for the faith in Europe Three years ago, Julia Wondra of Vienna was in the first group of women to be chosen as “international area organization advisers.” They were called to “mentor congregational officers and participate in leadership councils” in the region to “provide women’s perspectives at all levels of councils.” There are currently 93 serving around the world (though none in the United States) “We work with the area presidency,” Wondra says and “received our training mainly from the general boards in Salt Lake City.” Wondra works with the leaders of the Relief Society for adult women The male leaders “are really absolutely open to women,” she says “We tell them what is important to the sisters the fight for gender equity is a generational one Dánielné Mester joined the church as a 17-year-old in 1995 She and her younger sister were living in a small Hungarian town about 300 kilometers from the capital when they met a couple of “sister missionaries.” “I was a teenager with a lot of questions,” she recalls “I already knew that the gospel was true when we started the conversations.” Dánielné Mester is married with two young children works full time at church headquarters in Frankfurt and supervises 90 employees and another 90 contract personnel women have to work to have enough income for the family to be self-reliant,” she says in a Zoom interview we are taking care of the household and the children women have more competencies in every kind of field.” Duties of women and men in the family are changing “Most of the men in my generation have a huge role in taking care of children and they take their part of the housework as well I really see that they treat us as equal partners.” Dánielné Mester sees the same balance in the church and the communication volunteer,” she says we have a voice in the church in our area.” “priesthood leaders have valued my opinion.” is the church’s relative invisibility on the religious landscape Even highly educated Europeans draw a blank when asked what they know about Latter-day Saints and the church If they have heard of “Mormons,” Adriano says is to communicate its beliefs and practices widely while finding common ground with other faiths That is why, for example, the church will have a booth at the world famous Frankfurt Book Fair, challenging visitors to read at least one page of the faith’s unique scripture, the Book of Mormon. It’s also why Grünke said this about Latter-day Saints’ participation in last year’s “Kirchentag” faith festival: The church “considers itself to be a restoration of the primitive Christian congregations and views believers from Protestant Catholic and Orthodox churches with a sense of Christian connectedness Its representatives have attended Protestant and Catholic festivals for many years.” One of the greatest ways to help Latter-day Saints “come out of darkness…and into the limelight,” Adriano says “is really to engage in interfaith dialogue.” Last summer, for example, when Lisbon, Portugal, hosted the Catholic World Youth Day, which attracted more than a million young people from around the world, Latter-day Saint youths joined an interfaith choir that sang in several events Pope Francis attended. Most of the “big religions in the world are well represented in each country of the area,” Adriano says, “...and they play a vital role as a support system for immigrants who come to Europe.” As a small minority, the church still hopes to establish an essential place on the religious landscape, says the ebullient Portuguese communicator, like salt in a scrumptious feast. (Michael Stack | Special to The Tribune) The church's Europe Central Area office offers open gathering space and a cafeteria in Frankfurt, Germany, May 16, 2024. Pointing to the open spaces, colorful posters, foosball table and movable desks in his modern offices, Adriano oozes enthusiasm for a lively, international future. Seeing both opportunities and endless challenges, he still declares it is the “best time” to be a Latter-day Saint in Europe. (Michael Stack | Special to The Tribune) The words “He Lives” in German, on a mural behind the Wilhelmsburg meetinghouse in Hamburg, Germany, on May15, 2024. For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support 801-237-2900 or email subscribe@sltrib.com sltrib.com © 1996-2025 The Salt Lake Tribune One of the world’s leading experts in pediatric pain management is calling upon clinicians nationwide to join a national challenge to eliminate the pain trauma and anxiety of needle jabs for young children Led by UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals pediatrician Stefan Friedrichsdorf the challenge aims to engage the clinical community to use simple techniques to address the single largest source of fear and anxiety for children in a health care setting “In a medical setting, children are overwhelmingly afraid of needles, and studies show that some kids are so afraid of needles that they don’t tell their families or doctors that they are sick or in pain,” said Friedrichsdorf, the medical director of UCSF's Stad Center for Pediatric Pain, Palliative and Integrative Medicine “Children with unrelieved pain turn into adults with much higher rates of chronic pain The UCSF Stad Center for Pediatric Pain, Palliative and Integrative Medicine offers a combination of pain management and alternative therapies to provide children the greatest relief possible with the fewest side effects Learn about the Stad Center An estimated 25% of adults have a fear of needles stemming from childhood resulting in long-term consequences that include needle phobia The challenge calls upon clinicians to implement simple age-appropriate steps to reduce needle pain and fear ranging from numbing the injection site to using soothing relaxing or distraction techniques that calm the child during needle procedures Friedrichsdorf also encourages parents to request these techniques for their children Friedrichsdorf offers simple steps to soothe and distract children prior to a needle procedure of any kind: The effort is the first step of the Stad Center’s “Comfort Promise” to UCSF Benioff patients to “do everything possible to prevent and treat pain The “Comfort Promise” has been part of the Stad Center’s mission since it was formed in 2022 with a gift from Elisa and Marc Stad as an intensive interdisciplinary and rehabilitative inpatient and outpatient pain clinic that treats children and teens affected by acute and chronic pain including the discomfort from sickle cell disease Co-led by a primary care nurse practitioner the Comfort Promise has been rolled out to the first of many units at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals The center has served several thousand patients to date and is now one of the most innovative and comprehensive programs of its kind in the nation specialized team of integrated medicine and pain experts who provide consultative services with state-of-the-art technology and innovative techniques to work collaboratively with providers from across the health system Numbing cream (such as over-the-counter 4% lidocaine cream) applied before each needle procedure Sugar water or breastfeeding for infants 0 to 12 months including swaddling infants and skin-to-skin contact with parents and sitting upright for children – never holding a child down the Comfort Promise has been rolled out to the first of many units at the Benioff Children’s Hospital specialized teams of integrated medicine and pain experts who provide consultative services with state-of-the-art technology and innovative techniques to work collaboratively with providers from across the health system Experts at the UCSF Stad Center for Pediatric Pain Palliative & Integrative Medicine work together to treat young patients in a holistic way By combining state-of-the-art Western medicine with integrative medicine like acupuncture and hypnosis physicians hope to create protocols and treatment methods that can be replicated at every pediatric hospital in this country and beyond Friedrichsdorf remembers being traumatized as a child when he was held down for a medical procedure while screaming in pain he vowed to find a better way to acknowledge children’s pain and do whatever possible to minimize it More than 1 in 5 youth suffer from severe chronic pain as well as acute pain from underlying diseases such as sickle cell disease The Stad Center treats children from birth into their teens using multiple modes of pain management combining advanced and safe pain medications with physical therapy The center also specializes in pediatric palliative care with the goal of improving the quality of life for children with life-limiting illnesses allowing them to live as long and as well as possible Subscribe to UCSF News Visit the Media Center © 2025 The Regents of The University of California From Maya uses a toy medical syringe on an Elmo doll that she often brings along to the doctor's office Almost all new parents go through it: the distress of hearing their child scream at the doctor's office and the emotional torture of having to hold them down as the clinician sticks them with one vaccine after another I probably cried more than he did," says Remy Anthes This story was produced in partnership with KFF Health News Some kids remember the needle pain and quickly start to internalize the fear That's what Julia Cramer described with her 3-year-old daughter Maya had to get some blood drawn for an allergy test when she was 2 1/2 she had a fear of blue gloves," Cramer says "I went to the grocery store and she saw someone wearing blue gloves Pain management research suggests that needle pokes may be children's biggest source of pain in the health care system The problem isn't confined to childhood vaccinations either. Studies looking at sources of pediatric pain have included kids who are being treated for serious illness, who have undergone heart surgeries or bone marrow transplants, or who have landed in the emergency department "This is so bad that many children and many parents decide not to continue the treatment," says Dr. Stefan Friedrichsdorf, a specialist at the University of California San Francisco's Stad Center for Pediatric Pain, Palliative and Integrative Medicine, speaking at the End Well conference in Los Angeles last November The distress of needle pain can follow kids as they grow and can interfere with important preventive care: An estimated 25% of adults have a fear of needles that began in childhood Sixteen percent of adults refuse flu vaccinations because of it He outlines a series of simple steps that clinicians and parents can follow: Friedrichsdorf worked on a similar effort when he practiced at Children's Minnesota. Now he's leading the rollout of these new protocols for all children at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland He's calling it the "Ouchless Jab Challenge." Stefan Friedrichsdorf demonstrates one of the distraction techniques he uses for children receiving shots at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in San Francisco on Dec If a child at UCSF needs to get poked — for a blood draw a vaccine or an IV treatment — Friedrichsdorf promises that their clinicians will do everything possible to follow these pain management steps It seems unlikely that the ouchless effort would make a dent in vaccine hesitancy and refusal driven by the anti-vaccine movement since the beliefs that drive it are often conspiracy oriented and deeply held But that isn't necessarily Friedrichsdorf's goal He hopes that making routine health care less painful for kids could help sway some parents who may be hesitant to get their kids vaccinated because of how hard it is to see them in pain kids who grow into adults without needle phobia might be more likely to get preventive care the onus will likely be on parents to take a leading role in demanding these measures at their own local medical centers because the tolerance and acceptance of children's pain is so entrenched among clinicians a palliative care specialist at Mount Sinai She thinks this tolerance is a major problem stemming from how doctors are usually trained "We are taught to see pain as an unfortunate but inevitable side effect of good treatment," Meier says "We learn to repress that feeling of distress at the pain we are causing Meier had to hold kids down for procedures which she described as torture — for them and for her She went into geriatrics instead and later helped lead the modern movement to promote palliative care in medicine, which became an accredited specialty in the U.S Meier thinks the campaign to reduce needle pain and anxiety should be applied to everyone "People with dementia have no idea why human beings are approaching them to stick needles in them," she says And the experience can be painful and distressing Friedrichsdorf's techniques would likely work in this population too something sweet in the mouth and perhaps music from the patient's youth that they remember and can sing along to and it's worthy of serious attention," Meier says This story comes from NPR's health reporting partnership with KQED and KFF Health News Become an NPR sponsor The UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals in California has announced the addition of the Stad Center for Pediatric Pain, Palliative & Integrative Medicine, which is tailored for treating pain in children with disorders such as sickle cell disease Harboring one of the most innovative and comprehensive programs of its kind in the U.S. the Stad Center was established following a $3 million gift from Elisa and Marc Stad an internationally known pediatrician specializing in pain management and palliative medicine Friedrichsdorf served as medical director of the department of Pain Medicine Palliative Care & Integrative Medicine from 2005 to 2020 “From being a child who was in and out of medical centers for asthma treatment to parenting a young family of my own, I understand the inherent fear children have of the hospital experience,” Elisa Stad, a member of the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals board, said in a press release “Children affected by severe illness are grappling with so much more than a clinical diagnosis which requires a holistic approach that can address all of these conditions simultaneously,” added Elisa Stad a former international marketing executive The Stad Center includes specialized teams and offers consultations by experts powered by state-of-the-art technology and innovative techniques These include advanced and safe pain medications nerve blocks and implantable medication pumps during a visit to the Shanghai Children’s Medical Center (SCMC) one of the top pediatric hospitals in Asia was struck how both Western and Eastern medicine were incorporated into children’s treatment 8,000 children were followed at Stad Center To be able to increase the number of consultations “I often hear from my colleagues nationwide that we don’t have enough staff But our commitment at UCSF is to do everything possible to prevent and treat pain for every child a new UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals “Comfort Promise” will be part of the the Stad Center the center treatment philosophy to address pediatric pain includes both Eastern and Western medicine concepts anxiety and depression,” said Friedrichsdorf The center also specializes in pediatric palliative care with the intent of improving the quality of life of children with untreatable diseases and allowing them to live in the best possible manner emotional and spiritual pain are among the greatest challenges children face when seriously ill,” said Stephen Wilson chief medical officer and pediatric pain specialist who led an early program of pediatric pain and palliative care at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals in San Francisco “The Stads’ philanthropic support has brought to life Dr Friedrichsdorf’s vision of a comprehensive multidisciplinary and integrative approach to pediatric pain our hospitals can harness both cutting-edge science and traditional integrative practices to improve our patients’ lives and lead the nation in providing integrative medicine to manage pediatric pain,” he added Friedrichsdorf also aims to increase awareness and educate the medical staff about pain management and prevention an area often under-appreciated in formal medical training Part of the funds donated by the Stads will fund research including patient comfort surveys and cross-referencing data from 10 hospitals to help identify areas within the UCSF that need improvement the center will conduct clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of new strategies targeting pain management of pediatric sickle cell disease Elisa and I aim to support UCSF’s efforts to offer every child sufficient access to world-class integrative and innovative medical care,” said Marc Stad founder and managing partner at Dragoneer Investment Group This site is strictly a news and information website about the disease This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website KQED Live Events PRX Podcast Garage Events Events Around the Bay Area Member Benefits with KQED Live Videos from KQED LiveWatch recordings of recent KQED Live events Featured That's My WordAn ongoing exploration of Bay Area hip-hop history See Senior Director of TV Programming Meredith Speight’s recommendations from this month’s KQED 9 Watch recordings of recent KQED Live events Support KQED by using your donor-advised fund to make a charitable gift Julia Cramer sits with her two children — Maya 6 months — at their home in Petaluma on Dec Maya administers a pretend shot to her Elmo doll that she often brings to the doctors' office. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)Any new parent has been through it: The distress of seeing your child scream at the doctor’s office The torture of having to hold them down as the clinician sticks them with one vaccine after another I probably cried more than he did,” said Remy Anthes it’s hard to take,” said Jill Lovitt of her infant daughter Some kids remember that pain and internalize the fear Like when Julia Cramer’s 3-year-old daughter had her blood drawn for an allergy test in Petaluma she had a fear of blue gloves,” Cramer said and she started freaking out and crying.” Pediatricians see this all the time. Research suggests that children’s biggest source of pain in the health care system is needle pokes including in kids who are being treated for serious illness Especially in some lower- and moderate-income countries many hospitals that treat pediatric cancer don’t use central lines or small catheters so every time a child needs blood drawn or IV medications Picture the medical student trying 17 times to find a vein “This is so bad that many children and many parents decide not to continue the treatment. Even here in the United States,” Dr. Stefan Friedrichsdorf, medical director of UCSF’s Stad Center for Pediatric Pain told an audience during November’s End Well conference in Los Angeles The trauma follows kids: An estimated 25% of adults have a fear of needles that began in childhood. And roughly 16% of adults refuse flu vaccinations because of it Friedrichsdorf said he has a solution: the Ouchless Jab Challenge “We can pretty much promise to completely take away the pain and the anxiety caused by needles He outlines the series of simple steps clinicians and parents can follow: Friedrichsdorf is leading the rollout of these new protocols this year at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland after launching a similar effort in Minnesota Parents will have to take a leading role in demanding these measures at other local medical centers because the tolerance and acceptance of children’s pain is so entrenched among clinicians “We are taught to see pain as an unfortunate but inevitable side effect of good treatment,” said Dr a palliative care specialist at Mount Sinai in New York “We learn to repress that feeling of distress at the pain we are causing because otherwise we can’t do our jobs.” Meier thinks the campaign to eliminate needle pain and anxiety should be applied to everyone people with dementia have no idea why human beings are approaching them to stick needles in them,” she said Friedrichsdorf’s techniques would likely work in this population and perhaps music from the patient’s youth that they remember and can sing along to would all be helpful To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker A measles vaccine is prepared last month in Auckland There are steps parents and caregivers can take to reduce or eliminate children's pain from vaccinations and other shots.Fiona Goodall | Getty Images filePlayListenReducing pain from vaccinations and other shotsGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories We have added it to a list of your favorite stories and then you have to take care of them while the other ones get poked,” the Burnsville woman recounted then the other ones start crying before it even happens the experience of bringing her children in for shots is getting a little easier as her children get older — but it still can be a difficult experience “The younger one knows what we’re doing and is scared and doesn’t want to [get a shot],” she said “I reassure them and hold them and tell them it’ll be quick MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all Needle pokes can be a major source of distress — and not just for kids Studies estimate that a quarter of American adults have a fear of needles Those needle phobias can lead to people hesitate before seeking medical care and vaccinations The research on effective ways of alleviating needle pain has been available for 25 years medical director of the Department of Pain Medicine Palliative Care and Integrative Medicine at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota Children's Minnesota launched its Comfort Promise initiative in 2013 vowing to do everything possible to prevent and treat pain — including pain from vaccinations or other shots Friedrichsdorf said that goal required department-by-department culture change They use five research-based practices that take away needle pain — five simple steps anyone can do Apply 4 percent lidocaine cream to the skin 30 minutes before the shot This cream is widely available over-the-counter for a cost of about $7 to $15 and the cost is covered by insurance in the state of Minnesota if a doctor prescribes it If you’ve come to the doctor’s office for a well-child check-up that includes shots ask for numbing cream at the start of the visit to allow the lidocaine time to work Allowing babies to breastfeed during a needle poke or giving them a few drops of sugar water prior to injection after some initial concerns about new procedures taking up too much time Children’s Minnesota’s neonatal units were among the early adopters of pain-reducing procedures “A few drops of sugar water a few minutes prior to procedure now has meant that in our neonatal intensive care units in our hospitals most babies now simply sleep through the procedure,” he said Hold children so they feel comfortable and secure but not constrained skin-to-skin contact with a parent is the most comforting hold never ever — hold down a child,” Friedrichsdorf insisted “People falsely assume that the best way is to just pin them down to restrain children and sort of do it fast.” children who were held down during painful procedures report feeling ashamed as though they had lost control of their own bodies It’s a time-honored approach to dealing with pain: think of something else a distraction can mean holding them gently and making comforting sounds possibilities include watching spinning lights and ask your child to pretend they’re blowing out a birthday candle phones and tablets also make excellent distractions give your child the amount of information they need to be comfortable Some might want to know exactly what to expect Don’t tell them that a shot won’t hurt unless you are planning on using numbing cream and don’t tell them there’s no shot in their future if you know otherwise district your child with happy conversation about fun things they’ve done or are looking forward to Don’t apologize for being there; anxious words from you can increase your child’s anxiety The way you talk about shots afterward can help create a positive memory Friedrichsdorf said parents and caregivers have the power to create culture change by asking for numbing cream sugar water or any of those other techniques; don’t hold back for fear of inconveniencing your medical provider The shuffling required to position an infant or set up a distraction is far quicker and less stressful than calming a distressed child afterward he said — and that’s less painful for everyone Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed Approximately one in four adults has a fear of needles Many of those people say the phobia started when they were kids Researchers developed a five step plan to prevent what they call "needless pain" for kids getting injections or their blood drawn Stefan Friedrichsdorf of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals who works with a team to implement the plan at his own hospital With a $3 million gift from Elisa and Marc Stad, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals have launched the Stad Center for Pediatric Pain Palliative and Integrative Medicine – one of the most innovative and comprehensive programs of its kind in the nation Marc Stad, founder and managing partner at Dragoneer Investment Group, and Elisa Stad, a former international marketing executive and current member of the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals board, recognized the need for an innovative approach to treating children in pain and made it their mission to seek out an expert in the field. They found the expertise in Stefan Friedrichsdorf an internationally renowned pediatrician specializing in pain management and palliative medicine and established an endowed professorship for him at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland “From being a child who was in and out of medical centers for asthma treatment to parenting a young family of my own I understand the inherent fear children have of the hospital experience,” Elisa Stad said which requires a holistic approach that can address all of these conditions simultaneously.” During a visit to Shanghai Children’s Medical Center (SCMC) Elisa Stad was struck by the fluid interplay between Western techniques and Eastern medicine Inspired by the holistic treatment offered to SCMC oncology patients Elisa Stad returned to the United States with a plan to help UCSF employ integrative methods in both its San Francisco and Oakland campuses “Establishing this Center will propel new advances in integrative medicine and pain management to provide expert care that prioritizes comfort and healing,” said Matthew Cook president of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals “Given that many of these critical services are not reimbursed by insurance this generous philanthropic support will help meet our promise to always aim higher for the patients and families that need us most.” Palliative and Integrative Medicine is an intensive interdisciplinary and rehabilitative inpatient and outpatient pain clinic treating children affected by both acute and chronic pain Specialized teams provide expert consultative services with state-of-the-art technology and innovative techniques to work collaboratively with providers from across the health system the Stad Center has managed more than 8,000 inpatient and outpatient encounters – a number that is expected to rise significantly as the center adds eight clinicians to the staff Friedrichsdorf leads the center in treating children for pain by integrating concepts from Eastern and Western medicine His goal is also to educate the medical community about the impact of pain during childhood and bring innovative treatments to the field where he was medical director of the Department of Pain Medicine Palliative Care and Integrative Medicine from 2005-2020 the department grew to one of the largest in the country and received national acclaim the Stad Center will implement a new UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals “Comfort Promise,” at its pediatric facilities our hospitals can harness both cutting-edge science and traditional integrative practices to improve our patients’ lives and lead the nation in providing integrative medicine to manage pediatric pain The Stad Center treats children from birth to adulthood with the latest technologies in pain management such as advanced and safe pain medications Stephen Wilson chief medical officer and pediatric pain specialist led early work at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals to establish a pain and palliative care program in San Francisco and worked with the Stads to bring Friedrichsdorf to UCSF emotional and spiritual pain are among the greatest challenges children face when seriously ill,” Wilson said our hospitals can harness both cutting-edge science and traditional integrative practices to improve our patients’ lives and lead the nation in providing integrative medicine to manage pediatric pain.” Another crucial component of Friedrichsdorf’s vision is educating other clinicians in pain management since medical training often does not require formal training in pain management and prevention Board certified in both the United States and Germany he has presented more than 800 lectures about pediatric pain medicine palliative care and integrative medicine in 30 countries on 6 continents The Center will deploy a portion of the Stad gift to fund research. By conducting patient comfort surveys and cross-referencing data from 10 hospitals, Friedrichsdorf and his colleague Andrea Postier aim to identify areas of improvement for UCSF They also will conduct trials to evaluate different modalities to reduce pain and distress Marc Stad shared his passion for providing access to high-quality health care for all families citing research from the Children’s Health Fund that found as many as 28% of U.S integrative and innovative medical care,” he said FRANKFURT, Germany — While the Frankfurt Germany Temple closed for more than four years while under extensive renovations “going to the temple” for the members of the Frankfurt and Friedrichsdorf stakes took on a new meaning an organized effort and considerably greater distances That included Latter-day Saints traveling as families and small groups as well as larger-organized assemblies on a ward branch and even stake level to the temples in Freiberg The first three are just under 450 kilometers (275 miles) from Frankfurt — a one-way drive of more than four hours tack on another 150 kilometers (93 miles) and another hour “I believe our members deeply missed the closeness of our Frankfurt temple especially those members for whom it is not easy to travel four to five hours to reach the Freiberg temple or the temples in Switzerland France or the Netherlands,” said President Manuel Metzner many members gained an even deeper appreciation for the spiritual strengths that come from visiting a temple and spending time in the house of the Lord.” who presides over the stake in Friedrichsdorf the town 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Frankfurt where the temple is actually located called the closure “a time of adaptation and adjustment” and the resulting family ward and stake temple trips “a learning process.” “Just the fact that you had to plan ahead take days off and prepare for a temple trip had significant effect on the spiritual preparation,” he said To help their members in continued temple attendance and worship the two stakes assisted in bus-chartered trips for Relief Society sisters and youth while encouraged families wards and branches in their own organized efforts The Friedrichsdorf stake conducted several two-day trips via double-decker buses to the Freiberg temple with similar buses on three-night trips to The Hague Netherlands Temple — the last one with 85 youth just two days after the conclusion of the Frankfurt temple’s open house The Frankfurt stake sponsored a pair of similar Relief Society trips — one to Freiberg and one to the Bern Switzerland Temple And the Frankfurt stake’s annual youth excursions became “temple camps” outside of Freiberg The Frankfurt temple’s closure came at a time when announced policy changes expanded youth involvement in temple proxy baptisms young women with a limited-use temple recommend can assist with tasks in the baptistry while ordained priests with a similar recommend can officiate in proxy baptisms by performing or witnessing the ordinance Since January 2019, young men and young women qualifying for a limited-use recommend can go to the temple at the start of the calendar year in which they turn 12 And as announced just prior to October 2019 general conference anyone with a current recommend can serve as witnesses for baptisms in the temple we were witnessing that we are part of a Church with a living prophet and ongoing revelations,” said Daniel Wiese “The fact that both young women and young men actively participated in the baptism sessions contributed to unique moments and a higher level of spirituality.” “Observing the youth participate in these holy ordinances you see the change in them and their behavior as soon as they enter the house of the Lord,” she said they know that the temple is the holiest place here on earth The Friedrichsdorf youth received notice of the recent new baptism-witness policy soon after coming out of the temple during their recent trip “We read it to the group of youth before testimony meeting that night and they literally ‘freaked out’ because they were so happy about these changes,” said Ronja Harth President Metzner said the youth “in a very natural and earnest way” took on their new responsibilities — whether it be as witnesses young women as helpers or priests as officiators The Frankfurt stake’s “temple camp” had youth and leaders camping several miles outside the city for their annual trip “It has become a place that feels a bit like home to them and they have been asking if it is possible to go back,” President Metzner said He expressed appreciation not only for adults assisting with the camp experience but to the Freiberg temple leaders and Freiberg ward for their continued help Cordray said many of the youth initially were drawn to the temple camp because of social opportunities — to go and spend time with friends be away from home and participate in camp activities ranging from hikes sports and games to spiritual workshops and devotionals ‘What was your favorite part of the trip?’ they all say: ‘The temple Said Wiese: “Bringing the youth together for a couple of days in order to learn develop spiritual strength and make friendships always make for a good time Having the temple as the focus of such conferences lifts all aspects of the whole event.” The youth accepted the invitation to prepare names of their own ancestors to take to the temple — sometimes with the help of family members and sometimes with the help of ward members President Metzner recalled “many special moments where we saw young people increase in stature and measure” as they were involved in proxy baptisms or confirmations for their own ancestors including some that the youth had personally known The Frankfurt and Friedrichsdorf youth weren’t the only stake members enjoying organized temple outings as the trips organized for the Relief Society sisters aided those who may not have had an opportunity to go on their own “The sisters not only appreciated being able to attend the temple but also having a couple of days free from their daily routines and worries being able to just concentrate on the temple,” said Søs Gram the Frankfurt stake Relief Society president “The temple presidencies were kind enough to hold a fireside for us which greatly added to the spiritual experience it is to attend the temple.” Because of greater travel distances and challenges for temple patrons in Europe than in much of the United States most European temples have guest-housing complexes available which is what the Frankfurt Relief Society groups used “That gave the sisters the opportunity to spend time together in the evening and during meals as well,” Gram said “Since these few days away from home and with other sisters meant so much to many we are considering arranging temple weekends for the sisters even after our temple has been rededicated younger children often traveled with their parents and older siblings “I have great memories of the fun the children had around the temple grounds and to come in touch with the house of the Lord in such a natural and uplifting way,” President Metzner said “There were also spontaneous activities for the children which I am certain will have them associate good memories with the trip to the temple.” Besides traveling to other temples, the youth and children anxiously took important roles in helping prepare for the rededication and re-opening of the Frankfurt temple The recent open house allowed the youth their initial view of the new baptistry — a more open area on an underground level excavated during the temple renovation that will accommodate several times more than the 15 to 20 who could squeeze into the smallish main-floor baptistry in the original temple “The youth are very excited that the Frankfurt temple will open its doors again,” Cordray said not just once but as often as it was possible for them to volunteer or bring friends The willingness to serve and the smiles on their faces testified of their love for the gospel and our Savior Jesus Christ.” the children enthusiastically anticipated the Frankfurt temple’s open house prior to rededication Children drew pictures of the Frankfurt temple for display during the open house accompanied a ward Primary group bused to the open house and watched children eager to both look for their drawings and get their first views inside the temple “In the group I happened to be touring with three 5-year-old girls held hands and stood in front of the mirror in the brides’ room,” she recalled of one tender moment ‘I Love to See the Temple’ — it was very sweet.” President Metzner said he and fellow stake members hope to continue similar trips to neighboring temples even with the Frankfurt temple having returned to operation Added Juleen Metzner: “These were special experiences but it also helped us realize how valuable a temple in our area had been.” Acknowledging the difference regular temple attendance makes in her life and the added strength given to her and her family “I hope we will never take this blessing for granted,” adding “we are absolutely thrilled to have our temple back!” a 46-year-old stake president and chief pilot for Lufthansa named Dieter Uchtdorf ‘What a wonderful opportunity for Guido to be with three apostles,’” he recalled this week A photograph of that walk is an Uchtdorf family treasure They plan to reenact it this weekend during the open house for the freshly renovated Frankfurt temple “I want to walk with my son and his family up that same street,” Elder Uchtdorf said That walk and the new photograph they take will symbolize a full and fulfilling circle traveled by the Uchtdorfs and the Church in Germany in the 32 years since they hosted prophets seers and revelators in a city that fiercely resisted the temple at first Elder Uchtdorf himself is the apostle walking the city’s streets at this open house and he has been assigned to rededicate the temple on Oct leaders and residents of Friedrichsdorf — the municipality where the temple is located — say they love the temple just as the late President Gordon B Everywhere the Uchtdorfs turned this week they found themselves discovering just how much has come full circle since the two years Elder Uchtdorf spent leading the temple committee Dieter Uchtdorf escaped Communist Eastern Europe with his mother it seemed like we went to the docks every week to wave goodbye as people immigrated to the United States,” he said The departures thinned the Church’s ranks here our ward was filled to capacity,” Elder Uchtdorf’s wife who presided over the West Germany and European missions and later was a Church General Authority “He made it a point that we should stay home and build the kingdom here,” Elder Uchtdorf said “For me it was normal; you left for the United States Stay here.’ That was a time we didn’t have a temple yet Temples did come — in 1955 to Switzerland; in 1985 to Freiberg in East Germany; and in 1987 to Frankfurt in West Germany President Burton ordained young Dieter an elder before he went into the Air Force and wrote him a personal letter of encouragement a key player for why we are here and why a temple is here,” Elder Uchtdorf said Another full circle was completed recently when President Burton’s grandson James Burton told Elder Uchtdorf the family had a first-edition copy of the Book of Mormon and said the family wanted to donate it to Frankfurt. On Tuesday, Elder Uchtdorf showed that Book of Mormon and three early German-language copies to Wolfgang Thielman, a journalist for Die Zeit a national weekly German newspaper with a print circulation of more than 500,000 That came after Elder Uchtdorf gave Thielman a tour of the renovated temple James Burton will be at the temple’s rededication next month Elder Uchtdorf has asked him to speak briefly “I was sitting in front of my television praying the whole time,” Sister Uchtdorf said. “We knew some journalists might try to attack or embarrass him.” The interview was scheduled to last two minutes, because the reporter expected breaking video of a crash to arrive at the station. It didn’t. The interview stretched nearly nine minutes. In the video, Elder Uchtdorf is young, stylish and sure. It was a landmark moment for the Church, one that resonated with members and missionaries. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dieter F. Uchtdorf (@dieterfuchtdorf) The interview was scheduled to last two minutes because the reporter expected breaking video of a crash to arrive at the station The interview stretched nearly nine minutes one that resonated with members and missionaries He had significant responsibilities with both Lufthansa and its union Then Elder Wirthlin interviewed him during the search for a new stake president Elder Uchtdorf said he assumed he was “totally out of the picture” because he had too much to do Elder Wirthlin extended the call to be the stake president asked him to add more to his plate and chair the temple committee for the open house and dedication “I didn’t know what I was getting into,” he said “I got into it and realized how much work it was my work schedule was flexible and provided extra resources.” “I knew which calls were Lufthansa calls and which were Church calls,” Sister Uchtdorf said they scrambled to complete tasks for what became a massive open house that drew 70,000 people his stake presidency responsibilities and the open house and dedication in a month that seemed like it wouldn’t end ‘Did this month have just 30 days?’ It felt like 45 days.” It included special moments, like the walk with his son and three apostles. A successful open house. A temple dedicatory prayer by Church President Ezra Taft Benson “I was totally excited,” Elder Uchtdorf said we had a meeting at the end of the day with the team,” he added Now some of those people are in wheelchairs Little did he know that he was in for a major shock from Friedrichsdorf’s new mayor a year later The old mayor lost his office after he and the city council approved the temple The battle over the permit had been intense was on the Friedrichsdorf city council at the time the local attorney was honored for his 51 years of service as a councilman He said one political party wanted to build houses on the temple site where a once-vital old noodle factory had stood Petry thought that meant too much additional traffic in the center of this commuter town 12 miles north of Frankfurt “It was a difficult decision,” Petry said “The Protestants began a war against the temple.” The Lutheran church sent a priest who was an expert on religious sects to Friedrichsdorf to speak against the temple The priest spoke in public city council meetings “That priest told us the Mormons are the devil,” Petry said He and his political allies decided to find out for themselves Catholic priest and attended the Latter-day Saint ward ‘Do you have any problems with the Mormons in town?’ They said “We returned with the conviction that we would be right to allow the Mormons to build their temple here.” Petry and others who made that decision still attend an annual Christmas celebration in the 1890s villa the Church agreed to keep on the property “I like it better than any other Christmas celebration in Germany,” Petry said “I have no regrets about the temple at all the new patron housing they’ve built along Taunusstrasse on the temple grounds is wonderful The temple has been welcomed here for three decades I hoped it would go well once the temple was built We don’t have any challenges with the Mormons the many visitors who come here visit our businesses Mormons everywhere have heard of our city.” “I find it more beautiful than it was before,” he said of the renovation It’s a successful central point of Friedrichsdorf.” that the city wanted the Church to buy another plot of land and build a missionary training center “The people went from critical to welcoming us,” Elder Uchtdorf said Sometimes people have this impression of us as insular Elder Uchtdorf may be the only person ever to serve as a temple committee chairman and then return to rededicate the same temple after a renovation Monson involved him deeply in the renovation Then, during a weekly meeting of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the Salt Lake Temple President Nelson read the list of assignments for temple dedications I didn’t yell or jump up,” Elder Uchtdorf said We just plug along and do what we’re asked While he will be a constant at the rededication much has changed here since the original dedication Friedrichsdorf did not have a ward or branch when the temple was built A stake center now sits on the temple grounds the teenagers lined up in a tunnel putting shoe covers on the feet of 70,000 people who came to the open house,” Elder Uchtdorf said they are bishops and stake presidents and Relief Society presidents This gives me such hope for the future of the Church in Germany Now their children are putting shoe covers on visitors at this open house These multigenerational families are such a strength The children of new converts to the Church will have the same experience at this open house and raise families that will have similar experiences in the future.” As Elder and Sister Uchtdorf and their daughter, Antje, walked the grounds earlier this week, leading tours for journalists and government and religious leaders, their faces lit up over and over as they saw and greeted and hugged old friends. “We have a jewel here,” Elder Uchtdorf said. “A spiritual jewel.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in four adults has a fear of needles which many say started when they were kids the fear of needles is strong enough that they avoid getting important treatments That can pose a serious problem for public health Researchers have helped develop a five step plan to help prevent what they call "needless pain" for kids getting injections or their blood drawn. Guest host Tom Dreisbach talks with Dr. Stefan Friedrichsdorf of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals Friedrichsdorf told Short Wave that some of the most important research to eliminate pain comes from Canadian researchers. Learn more about their work here This episode was inspired by the reporting of our colleague April Dembosky, a journalist at member station KQED and KFF Health News. Read her digital story here Got another question for a doctor? Email us at shortwave@npr.org Listen to Short Wave on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave This episode was produced by Margaret Cirino It was edited by our showrunner Rebecca Ramirez When the apostle Paul wrote to his friend Timothy he noted that “without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day “Greatly desiring to see thee … that I may be filled with joy” (2 Timothy 1:3-4) One of Paul’s latter-day apostolic associates, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles expressed similar sentiments of joyful reunion during a Friday devotional broadcast originating in Friedrichsdorf to German-speaking Latter-day Saints in Austria “I am so happy to be with you,” said Elder Uchtdorf “My heart overflows when I look into your faces I share your testimony of Christ — our Advocate and Redeemer.” are living in a time of uncertainty and danger “And we recognize the countless good deeds that are happening around us every day.” God’s power and blessings await all who love Him keep His commandments and care for His children by sharing their spiritual “Heavenly Father sees your sacrifices and will reward you for your kindness to others,” promised Elder Uchtdorf who has spent the past couple of weeks ministering to Latter-day Saints in Europe including refugees who were forced to flee Ukraine Often a person’s greatest needs are emotional — including heartache “Your faith is important and your prayers are important,” he said dispel darkness and bring light into the world we can strengthen ourselves and open our souls to heavenly light.” Latter-day Saints live in a time of both great challenges and unimagined opportunities “Like the disciples of old in Alma’s day, we can learn to be steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God and to endure, with patience, the challenges that may come our way” (see Alma 1:25) Alma and his people demonstrated their love of God and others they did not become impoverished through their sacrifices “We need this peace in our personal lives and in the world today,” declared Elder Uchtdorf Elder Uchtdorf was born at a time of great turmoil where the world seemed stretched beyond its breaking point “As a young boy I went through some of what many refugee families in Europe are facing today,” he said We left friends and family behind and had to give up security and comfort I didn’t know what my future would be like.” Refugees and regional unrest are not the sole claim of recent history was a fugitive who was forced to flee from a powerful ruler who wanted to take his life There were moments when David was uncertain he would see the next day and he could not envision an escape from his dire circumstance “Perhaps in this formative phase of his life he learned that he could depend on God,” said Elder Uchtdorf David’s psalms record heartfelt pleas to Heavenly Father — and expressions of faith, hope and encouragement that continue to uplift readers today. As Psalm 30:5 assures: “Weeping may endure for a night And through David’s psalms, God also offers an answer to all one’s worries and needs: “Be still, and know that I am God …. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge” (Psalm 46:10-11) Elder Uchtdorf also expressed his admiration for the many Latter-day Saints in Europe who have provided safety and sanctuary to refugee families I promise you the Lord sees your good deeds During His mortal life He often transcended convention’s bounds to include those otherwise excluded He praised the faith of a pagan woman and a Roman soldier where there are no outcasts,” said Elder Uchtdorf … Nobody should feel like a stranger with us.” Knowing all of God’s children are brothers and sisters should foster unity in the Church and transcend any differences — be they cultural Elder Uchtdorf encouraged his devotional audience to focus on matters that strengthen and unify the Church “Spreading the good news of the gospel through our words and actions helps people feel that this is the gospel and Church of Jesus Christ Anyone who is filled with Christ’s light has no room in his or her life for pride The two great commandments — to love God and to love one’s neighbor — should take their proper place “Family and honoring our sacred covenants become natural and part of our daily lives,” he said “Prayer becomes a sure source of peace and strength and trusted by us as faithful counselors and guides “Christ must be at the center of our lives.” Elder Uchtdorf then offered three tips on achieving unity in the Church: 3) Judge less and talk to each other more people are often drifting away from each other rather than getting closer Technology is often being used to reinforce prejudices with like-minded people gives us every opportunity to achieve unity but we must choose to use these divine gifts for His purposes,” he said Baptism and partaking of the sacrament to renew baptismal covenants help foster unity They are sacred ordinances that connect individuals to the community of Christ The scriptures also teach that “where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20) “Having the Savior in our midst is an absolute necessity if we are to survive spiritually during these trying times,” said Elder Uchtdorf “Our unity as Latter-day Saints will help others to believe in Jesus Christ.” pride and selfishness will do the opposite “Your efforts to be close to God and to love and respect those around you will open the floodgates of heaven for those you serve — but also for you and your loved ones,” concluded Elder Uchtdorf “I bless you with the assurance that if you follow God 03-17-2025DESIGN A new clinic in San Francisco swapped right angles for curves to give its young patients a sense of calm BY Nate Berg It’s the most common ailment people experience from a headache to a stubbed toe to a sore back Treating pain can be as straightforward as popping a pill But for people experiencing chronic pain—like the lingering aftereffects of chemotherapy or the slow rehabilitation after a major car accident—medication is rarely enough to fully erase the pain When the patient experiencing chronic pain is a child the architecture of the clinic plays a significant role in this multifaceted approach to treating pain “It was specifically designed in a way to start the healing before children even see the first doctor,” says Dr appear throughout the clinic and are given playful almost interactive elements to encourage engagement among younger patients One wall in the lobby features a projected digital waterfall over a forest scene and its flowing water responds to the movement and touch of children who come near it and spacious common areas are intended to exude calm “We’re one of the very few places that really show that our goal is to help children and adolescents and young adults to get back to normal life and get rid of the pain,” Friedrichsdorf says Part of the University of California San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospitals system the Stad Center is a five-year-old clinic that builds off Friedrichsdorf’s previous working building a similar pain center in Minneapolis When the opportunity arose to build a brand new space at UCSF Friedrichsdorf flew the NBBJ design team out to Minneapolis to see how this holistic approach to treating pain works In addition to its inclusion of non-Western medical and healing modalities Friedrichsdorf’s multidisciplinary approach avoids some of the spatial separations that can slow the delivery of care The biggest difference between this new clinic and most health care spaces is that it does not have a formal waiting room To reduce the anxiety that young patients can experience in hospital settings the clinic was designed to make a smooth transition from the outside to a consultation area The lobby is one point of a circular pathway that leads to sitting areas and the designers used natural curves to inform its layout Another major focus of the design was creating a space where the center’s team of multidisciplinary practitioners can meet with new patients to understand the pain conditions and plan out a course of treatment because we really want to spend the time to understand what brought the child to the clinic and then really think about what we would recommend for them,” says Dr Friedrichsdorf explains that chronic pain can often be hard to detect which leads many doctors to either ignore it or over-medicate it therefore you’re crazy or you’re making this up,’” he says what do we need to do to make sure that this pain goes away?” The intake meeting with the clinic’s various practitioners helps the team understand the pain and identify the best interventions And they leave with a really strong sense of what’s going to happen,” Sun says we’re going to refer you to physical therapy and then you have to wait for three months.‘” That physical therapist is typically in the room for that intake meeting and the physical therapy gym is right down the hall Same with the acupuncture and acupressure studios and more conventional medical exam and treatment rooms One feature patients have responded to well in early testing is the multisensory room and other interactive elements meant to help calm children with particular sensitivities “This is something quite fabulous and originally meant for children who have impairment of the brain or other senses,” Friedrichsdorf says we found that otherwise healthy kids and teenagers really Pulling all these treatment types into one center means that patients can easily access whatever will help address their specific type of pain “We have found if we combine the best Western medicine and medications and psychology with those integrative modalities that kids heal much faster and get back to life earlier,” Friedrichsdorf says The final deadline for Fast Company’s Brands That Matter Awards is Friday, May 30, at 11:59 p.m. PT. 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Learn More Metrics details This study describes the effect of the software binning and data averaging during micro CT volume acquisition on the assessment of root resorption volumes after orthodontic tooth movement during 14 days All roots were reconstructed and the volumes of the resorption lacunae evaluated The height and width of the pixels vary according to the parameters (A1 In the root #1 the mean volumes of resorption were similar in A4 and A7; in the root #2 there was no similarity in the mean volumes of resorption in any of the parameters; in root #3 only A4 presented mean volume different from zero (3.05 × 10°) the A1 and A7 presented similar mean volumes and in the A6 and A9 presented near mean volumes and A7 presented similar mean volumes and A6 and A9 also had similar mean volumes Significant difference was detected in the volume of resorption among the roots #2 When analyzing delicate structures such as the roots of rats’ molars the variation of such parameters will significantly influence the results one of the advantages of using such a method is that the structure of the tooth root can be mapped down to the micrometer level in three dimensions there has been no study comparing some relevant image acquisition parameters in the outcomes of the root resorption evaluations data averaging and software binning could be listed as relevant some studies have evaluated root resorption by microcomputed tomography it is important to correctly set some parameters for microcomputed tomography imaging the authors have chosen data averaging and software binning because there are no previous studies about this topic in the literature this study describes the effect of varying two of these parameters the software binning and data averaging during volume acquisition The individual ICCs varied; roots #2 and #3 had an ICC < 0.4; roots #1 #4 and #6 showed 0.4 ≤ ICC < 0.75; and roots #5 The height and width of the pixels varied according to the parameter used during the scan. The parameters A1, A4 and A7 presented the same width (pixel) 1032; the parameters A2, A5, A8 presented the same Width (pixel) 692; and the parameters A3, A6 and A9 presented the same width (pixel) 520. The height (pixel) changed for each parameter and in each scanned root (Table 1) The images of roots in different parameters The intragroup comparison showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the parameters in roots R1, R3, R4, R6, R7 and R8 (p > 0.05). Roots #2 and #5 had a statistically significant difference between the parameters (p < 0.05) (Table 2) it was possible to perform 3D reconstruction of the roots in all tested parameters; however the change in the dataset size and the dimension of the datasets in pixels were modified the volume of the root resorption was changed The results of the present study suggested that increased software binning decreased pixel dimensions and reduced the volume of root resorption Pixel size was larger when software binning was set to 1 and it was lower when software binning was set to 2 independently of the data averaging selection data averaging increased the image acquisition time because more scan cycles are needed the variation in the acquisition parameters affected the number of projections The pixel size changed when the software binning was modified; however using the same software binning with different data averaging did not affect the pixel size The increase in the pixel size led to larger data sets due to the greater number of projections during the acquisition of the volume The contrast of the scanned image was better when the data average and the software binning smaller It is important to emphasize that the larger projection results in a longer acquisition time and consequently increases the radiation dose; therefore it is important to consider it in in-vivo studies (e.g. and the effect of the radiation dose on the animals) To analyse the details of the structure (small bone structures within bone) it is suggested that a lower software binning and data averaging is selected; however it is essential to consider the type of acquisition (in vitro or in vivo) To analyse anatomical structures (position and angulation) it might be better to use larger software binning and data averaging acquisition time and data set size are smaller although all the roots included in the presented study presented with a degree of root resorption some of the tested image acquisition parameters values caused the resorption not to be detectable the main visual effect of changing the parameters was the elongation (crown-apex) and the flattening of the root (labial-lingual) the root images seemed longer and with a smaller diameter than the other images when using software binning 1 Data averaging and software binning are image acquisition parameters that influence the pixel size the variations in such parameters will significantly influence the results The entire volume of the root resorption decreased or was not detected when data averaging was reduced Nine 10-week-old Wistar rats (250–300 g) were used in this study the rats were kept inside appropriate cages in rooms with a controlled temperature (25 °C) and 12/12 h light cycles with access to a powdered diet and water ad libitum Principles of laboratory animal care (NIH publication 85–23 1985) and the national laws on animal use were observed for the present study which was authorized by the Ethical Committee on Ethics in the Use of Animal of the University of São Paulo (004/2016) All procedures were carried out under general anaesthesia using an intramuscular injection of 12 ml/100 g body weight mixed ketamine hydrochloride and 6 ml/100 g body weight xylazine hydrochloride Experimental orthodontic tooth movement was performed using a closed-coil spring that was bonded to the first upper left molar cleat with a stainless steel ligating wire (wire size: 0.008″ The other side of the coil spring was bonded to the upper left incisor exerting 25 cN force to mesially move the molar The coil was maintained in the teeth for 14 days only air in the tube) was chosen to scan the specimens The raw data were further reconstructed using the software DataViewer (Bruker microCT Belgium) and the volumes of the resorption lacunae were evaluated with the software CTAn (Bruker microCT Each dataset was opened with software DataViewer, that provided tools for 3D image registration and the images were rotated. The largest diameter of the roots were positioned parallel to the horizontal plane, and the coronal images were saved as a new dataset (Fig. 2a). (a) The largest diameter was positioned parallel to the horizontal plane; (b) The coronal images The largest total length (HT) of each root was measured from the amelodentinal junction to the root apex the top (HT/2 + 10) and bottom (HT/2–10) of the root was established; (c) The region of interest (ROI) was established for each slice; (d) The 3D volume of root resorption was calculated with the morphometry tool The region of interest (ROI) was established for each slice, filling the resorption lacuna (Fig. 2c). The threshold (between 0–80) was interpolated from the dataset. The 3D volume of root resorption was calculated with the morphometry tool (Fig. 2d) The same blind and calibrated operator performed all measurements and every measurement was repeated two times with a two-week interval between measurements All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS Statistical Package version 24 (SPSS Inc Descriptive statistical analysis was performed to report the results of all assessments The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) was calculated to assess the reliability and agreement between the measurements of the volume of root resorption The Kruskal-Wallis Test was used for comparisons between groups The level of statistical significance was set at 0.05 and institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed MicroCT for comparative morphology: simple staining methods allow high-contrast 3D imaging of diverse non-mineralized animal tissues High-resolution computed tomography for clinical imaging of bone microarchitecture X-ray Microcomputer Tomography for the Study of Biomineralized Endo- and Exoskeletons of Animals Application of Polychromatic μCT for Mineral Density Determination Multi-level synchrotron radiation-based microtomography of the dental alveolus and its consequences for orthodontics Comparison of ex vivo and in vivo micro‐computed tomography of rat tibia at different scanning settings The effect of spatial micro-CT image resolution and surface complexity on the morphological 3D analysis of open porous structures Guidelines for assessment of bone microstructure in rodents using micro-computed tomography Effect of voxel size on 3D micro-CT analysis of cortical bone porosity The effect of microcomputed tomography scanning and reconstruction voxel size on the accuracy of stereological measurements in human cancellous bone Micro‐CT examinations of trabecular bone samples at different resolutions: 14 Lithium chloride reduces orthodontically induced root resorption and affects tooth root movement in rats Effect of EMD on the orthodontically induced root resorption repair process in rats Three consecutive days of application of LED therapy is necessary to inhibit experimentally induced root resorption in rats: a microtomographic study Using Micro-Computed Tomography to Evaluate the Dynamics of Orthodontically Induced Root Resorption Repair in a Rat Model Physical properties of root cementum: Part 26 Effects of micro-osteoperforations on orthodontic root resorption:A microcomputed tomography study The extent of root resorption and tooth movement following the application of ascending and descending magnetic forces: a prospective split-mouth Orthodontically induced cervical root resorption in humans is associated with the amount of tooth movement NSI. Available at https://4nsi.com/blog/2016/09/16/pixel-binning Effect of micro-computed tomography voxel size and segmentation method on trabecular bone microstructure measures in mice Optimum Force Magnitude for Orthodontic Tooth Movement: A Systematic Literature Review Quantitative microcomputed tomography: a non-invasive method to assess equivalent bone mineral density Download references This work was supported by grants from CAPES (88881.133881/2016-01) Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry Department of Biomaterials and Oral Biology raised conceptions and participated in the design and coordination of this research designed and performed most of experiments supervised the work and wrote the manuscript All authors approved the final manuscript revisions The authors declare no competing interests Publisher’s note: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-46530-z Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science The following new stake presidents have been called business owner and CEO; succeeding Mark-René Marth; wife JSP International GmbH Europe North regional sales manager; wife The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints communication specialist; wife Southern Cross Water sales manager; succeeding Daniel J City of Gold Coast chief finance officer; wife Arina Audrey Teuteufo’ou Hikule’o Davies Taulepa GUAYAQUIL ECUADOR PUERTO NUEVO STAKE: (May 29 2022) President — Elison Francisco Tejada Betemith independent technical support; succeeding Mario R Coopi Cooperazione Internazionale family support technician; wife 2022) President — Michael Jensen Christensen Church Commissioner of Education budgets and administration director; succeeding Fred K Fortress Asset Management owner and partner; wife Senior Charity Care Foundation president and National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management national consultant; wife Epicurean Foods distribution sales representative; wife Southwest Heliservices LLC owner and pilot; wife 2022) President — Jean-Olivier Brahim Smatti National Education associate professor in economics management and marketing; succeeding Georgie E Counselors — Didier Daniel Solange Moriniere Jones Day partner; succeeding Eric Baxter; wife Counselors — William Mills Killingsworth Fullmer Life Chiropractic Clinics chiropractor; wife Nyla Technology Solutions principal software engineer; wife WEST JORDAN UTAH BINGHAM CREEK STAKE: (June 19 self-employed real estate appraiser; succeeding Scott F Brigham Young University business manager; wife Sierra-Cedar update services manager; wife FRIEDRICHSDORF, Germany — When the Frankfurt Germany Temple was first dedicated in 1987 it became the Church’s second German temple — but yet still the first in its own nation The mayor who supported the temple’s location and construction on an old noodle factory site near the town’s center later lost his position due to the divided opinion among residents in a municipality that ironically traces its roots back to asylum given to the late-17th century Huguenots fleeing religious persecution in France Much has changed in the three decades since The 1990 reunification of East Germany and West Germany resulted into one Germany and a two-temple nation Friedrichsdorf has long been awash in not just a renewed sense of tolerance but recognition and appreciation for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its hometown temple And after an extensive renovation requiring a four-year closure a rededicated Frankfurt temple is helping local Latter-day Saints to recommit themselves to the Savior Jesus Christ and His gospel and return to performing ordinances in a nearby temple for the living as well as the deceased Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles — who presided at the Sunday rededication back in his German homeland — summed up the overriding theme in a simple phrase “I think the temple is a symbol of unity,” he said “It is a unity between people of different opinions And it is a place of unity for those who are members of the Church in that they come and unite again with the teachings of Jesus Christ “So for Germany to have this temple in its heart Some roles were changed from the Frankfurt temple’s original dedication and its recent rededication President Ezra Taft Benson dedicated the temple in 11 sessions held Aug being accompanied by three apostles — Elder Neal A Uchtdorf of the Frankfurt Germany Stake chaired the committee organizing the new temple’s open house and dedication Fifteen-year-old Michael Cziesla was placing plastic protective coverings on the shoes of members as they entered the temple And Hanno Luschin seemed as the building’s proud parent having served as the temple’s project manager for construction Fast forward to today: President Benson and Elder Maxwell and Elder Wirthlin have long since passed away having presided at the rededication services at the assignment of now-President Nelson And Elder Cziesla — a former Frankfurt stake president who currently serves as a Europe Area Seventy — chaired the Frankfurt rededication and open house committee repeating his role as project manager in overseeing the renovation German Church members were enthusiastic in welcoming the 78-year-old apostle back to his hometown “It is a very special gift from God to us that we are able to hear and listen to the words of an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ in our native language,” said President Mark Harth of the Friedrichsdorf Germany Stake who was set apart and released as a young full-time missionary by Elder Uchtdorf when the latter served as stake president Added President Manuel Metzner of the Frankfurt Germany Stake: “Of course these special feelings also include his wife still are and will always be a part of the Saints in this area.” Elder Uchtdorf underscored his purpose in coming to Frankfurt representing and testifying of the Savior Jesus Christ — that He lives; that He is indeed what He claims to be area president; Sister Valerie Sabin; Elder Massimo De Feo first counselor in the area presidency; Sister Loredana De Feo; Elder Erich W second counselor in the area presidency; and Sister Christiane Kopischke Other than the translating of an occasional talk by a non-German-speaker the three rededication sessions — broadcast by closed-circuit to meetinghouses throughout the temple district — were done in the local language including Elder Uchtdorf offering the dedicatory prayer When he offered a similar prayer at the Freiberg Germany Temple rededication in 2016 as a member of the First Presidency he became the first Church leader to give such a temple prayer not in English but in the native language of the local Latter-day Saints All previous prayers of dedication and rededication had been done in English — and translated to a different local language and now Elder Uchtdorf once again in German German-speaking Latter-day Saints first flocked to the Swiss Temple (since renamed the Bern Switzerland Temple) with its 1955 dedication resulting in becoming the Church’s first such sacred edifice in Europe Then came the Freiberg temple behind the Iron Curtain in 1985 and the Frankfurt temple two years later While local Saints needed to travel to temples in Frieberg and Bern or to others in Netherlands and France during the recent four-year closure in Frankfurt it was a turning of the tables from the early 1990s when both the Freiberg and Switzerland temples were closed for renovations and many other of the 13 currently operating temples in Europe were yet to be built “So members from Portugal to Ukraine and from Italy to Holland came to the Frankfurt temple to receive their ordinances and perform service for their ancestors,” said Elder Helmut Wondra an Area Seventy serving in the Europe Area “You can meet members anywhere in Europe who have been blessed by the Frankfurt temple and who hold it dear to their hearts.” Many Church leaders and members joined Elder Uchtdorf in underscoring the impact of having two temples — both since renovated and rededicated by a native-son apostle — in a reunified Germany “Our country was still divided into two states with very different political and ideological systems and a wall as well as a border that was guarded by soldiers with weapons and where people lost lives,” said President Metzner “So there is a special meaning that the rededication takes place in a united Germany with Saints from all over the country and other German-speaking parts participating ‘unitedly.’ ” Germany became the second country outside the United States to have two temples within its boundaries the reunification coming only several weeks after a second temple in Canada was dedicated the recent closures of the Frankfurt and Freiberg temples for renovations overlapped for a year leaving a country home to multiple temples actually without an operating temple between September 2015 and September 2016 The hesitancy in Friedrichsdorf in 1987 toward a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has evolved into a full embrace Said Elder Sabin: “This fulfilled a promise that President Gordon B Hinckley gave the city officials when he said they would not regret their decision to grant a building permit and that ‘it will be a source of pride to local residents who will come to speak of it as “our temple.” ’ ” He cited last month’s open house — drawing nearly 29,000 to a temple located in a town of about 25,000 residents — as representative of that change of attitude and full-blown appreciation dozens of media and thousands of others — including hundreds of government religious and business officials — visited the temple during the open house,” Elder Sabin said “The comments were overwhelmingly positive.” The Frankfurt Germany Temple features the six-spire sloping-roof architectural design common to 14 Church temples dedicated between 1984 and 1985 the Frankfurt temple has only one sole spire near the front entrance — officials were uncertain about getting permission for six spires since there was pushback on the first spire to make sure it didn’t rise above other prominent Church steeples in Friedrichsdorf only the exterior granite walls and copper roof remain from the original single-level temple The interior expansion and remodel was aided by eliminating the smallish baptistry that existed previously and excavating a subterranean level for a larger more elaborate baptismal area under the temple President Harth reflected of when temples were built in Kirtland and Nauvoo and their becoming “the center and overarching event in the lives of the early Saints.” “We are not called to actively help with the building itself,” he said of the Frankfurt temple “But the Lord showed us ways in what we can do to give of ourselves to sacrifice in order to sanctify ourselves in preparation for the rededication just like our brothers and sisters of the early days.” Latter-day Saints in the Frankfurt temple district in and around Germany are looking forward to the reopening on Oct 29 of the renovated and rededicated building “There is a general excitement among all the members that the temple will finally be reopened,” said Juleen Metzner of the Frankfurt stake “We have been longing for it — especially for our youth as we know it can bring them added protection from temptation.” Ronja Harth of the Friedrichsdorf stake agreed “Since we have not been able to go to the temple so often during these past four years I think the newly rededicated temple will bless families and local members abundantly Especially with the new baptism and witness guidelines it makes it much easier to go to a [temple] baptismal session as a family where all family members can participate in different ways.” Elder Uchtdorf summarized the rededication as a time of joy “It is a time of gratitude for the plan of salvation that we teach here in the house of the Lord — that God lives that His Son Jesus Christ lives and that He died for us,” he said “We reach out to every human being around us and try to show them our love for them and to help them receive the message of Jesus Christ — to ‘come and see’ and ‘come and help’ — and to help spread this gospel message throughout the world especially here in Germany and in Europe.” Germany — Eleven-year-old Dieter Uchtdorf found himself tasked with picking up and delivering laundry for the small business his parents ran after the family fled war-torn East Germany in 1952 for a new life in West Germany sparkling-red sports bike to do his after-school rounds And although preferring to spend time with friends rather than make his deliveries and pickups he huffed and puffed his way for several years on a heavy pulling behind him a clunky trailer along the streets of Bergen-Enkheim When faced with military obligations years later as a young man hoping to be a fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe Doctors conducted pre-enlistment medical tests; surprised with the results Extensive scarring on his lungs indicated he had suffered from lung disease and the doctors wanted to know what treatment he had undergone to heal so thoroughly It was the first time that Dieter — now Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles — learned he had suffered a lung disease He realized his regular exercise in the fresh air as a laundry boy pedaling the heavy bike contributed to the cure of the disease and to his pursuit as a future fighter pilot and airline captain Elder Uchtdorf shared that personal story at a youth devotional in Friedrichsdorf, Germany, on Saturday night, Oct. 19, the eve of the rededication of the Frankfurt Germany Temple A standing-room-only crowd packed the Friedrichsdorf stake center built next to the temple during the latter’s four-year closure for renovation and most youths were hearing for the first time the anecdote Elder Uchtdorf shared in general conference nearly a decade and a half ago Acknowledging to the youth that challenges disappointments and worries may be part of their futures Elder Uchtdorf said fear and discouragement need not be — if the youth continue with confidence in God and faith in His promise of spiritual accompaniment The visiting apostle said his wish is for youths to know that God is real that Jesus Christ lives and that He is real as well The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are principles that will change our lives here for the better and help us to be united as families here on this Earth and in the life to come “So I hope they have the desire and the feeling to establish this firm foundation this firm personal testimony in their hearts and minds to give the discipline and efforts needed to grasp the gospel and its message in their lives.” From his pocket, he took out the small, multifold “For the Strength of Youth” card in one hand and then pulled out his own temple recommend in the other explaining how living true to the listed topics of the former can help the youth prepare to answer faithfully and worthily when seeking to receive the latter He pointed out that the card features a photo of the temple and emphasized their relationship by holding them together as if a singular The answers to the temple recommend questions reflect one’s attitude The evening devotional served as a precursor to Sunday’s temple rededication — the second time at the Frankfurt temple complex where youth enjoyed a head start of sorts The night before last month’s temple open house youth from surrounding stakes were invited to get the first official tours of the renovated sacred edifice those tours were a final test run for open house organizers “But being on the temple grounds that night with hundreds of youth getting little glimpses of how they felt when being led through the temple was incredible,” said President Manuel Metzner “There was a very special feeling there that night.” There was a similar feeling Saturday evening, as the young people listened to Elder Uchtdorf. Sister Harriet Uchtdorf, his wife, and Elder Erich W. Kopischke a German-born General Authority Seventy and member of the Europe Area presidency who were also featured speakers at the 90-minute devotional The Europe Area presidency is based in Frankfurt and Elder Kearon served five years — first as a counselor and later as area president — in Europe prior to his 2017 call to the Presidency of the Seventy the assignment to return to Friedrichsdorf — a municipality 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Frankfurt — proved to be a homecoming of sorts for the Kearons who were both visibly moved to be among the German youth for prayer Elder and Sister Uchtdorf met with a select group of 18 youth asking questions and fielding those asked of them “I had never met an apostle before,” said Jakob Keil and a grandson of Elder and Sister Kopischke “I felt a confirmation that he really is an apostle and so my testimony is stronger now than before.” of listening to Elder and Sister Uchtdorf: “I learned that they really are inspired by God and that they tell us exactly what we need to hear.” Saturday’s events started with the visiting leaders and spouses arriving on the 5.2-acre complex that includes an annex and small visitors area temple missionary housing and a villa for the temple president and matron the group walked through the Frankfurt temple with its four-year renovation removing all but the granite exterior walls and copper roof and included relocating an enlarged baptistry to a newly created subterranean level After touring the temple, Elder Uchtdorf took his son, Guido Uchtdorf, with him to re-create a walk the two had shared 32 years earlier with a trio of apostles. Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Elder Russell M. Nelson and Elder Joseph B Wirthlin had joined President Ezra Taft Benson for the three-day 11-session original dedication of the Frankfurt Germany Temple Wanting to stretch their legs between sessions one day the three apostles invited the local stake president doubling as chairman of the temple dedication and open house committee — Dieter Uchtdorf — to go on a walk who was helping usher during the dedication “It was just an overwhelming feeling of gratitude that the Lord had sent these apostles to Germany to help create a center of spirituality,” recalled Elder Uchtdorf of the day when they walked about 450 meters to the center of Friedrichsdorf the town that resulted from the asylum and land Count Friedrich II afforded the Huguenots who were fleeing religious persecution in France in the late 17th century The three apostles and two Uchtdorfs paused there for a photo in 1987 Elder Nelson has since become President Nelson with Elder Maxwell and Elder Wirthlin now deceased On the overcast Saturday afternoon as a local church bell tolled 3 the two Uchtdorfs covered the same six-minute walk from temple to the monument and bust honoring Count Friedrich II and his tolerant actions the father was the apostle and the son about the same age his father was in 1987 as the pair paused for another photo to commemorate the occasion and the memory “It was exciting to be part of this temple’s dedication,” recalled Guido Uchtdorf He admits he remembers more about his ushering experiences than the walk to the city center — from his usher’s position he watched members of the temple-dedication choir too overcome to continue singing but he heard unseen voices carry the hymn all the same “It was special to be here at this spot and to meet those General Authorities and to walk with them,” he said thinking back to his hesitancy to be part of the historic photo “You can see them all standing close to each other and there’s like this ‘apostolic gap’ in between come in the picture.’ It was a happy moment.” Privacy Policy Terms of Use Editorial Policy Cookie Policy Ad Policy Medscape Customer Support Frequently Asked Questions Advertise with MDedge See more with MDedge! See our Other Publications Copyright © 2025 Frontline Medical Communications Inc., Newark, NJ, USA. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited. The information provided is for educational purposes only. Use of this Web site is subject to the medical disclaimer The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced changes to the sacred temple endowment ceremony today acknowledging “a concern for all and a desire to enhance the temple learning experience.” The changes come as the Church resumes the performance of all living ordinances in 12 temples just four months after leaders closed all temples worldwide in response to the COVID-19 pandemic the methods of instruction in the temple experience have changed many times to help members better understand and live what they learn in the temple,” they wrote “Part of the temple experience includes the making of sacred covenants Most people are familiar with symbolic actions that accompany the making of religious covenants (such as prayer or holding hands during a marriage ceremony) symbolic actions accompany the making of temple covenants “With a concern for all and a desire to enhance the temple learning experience recent changes have been authorized to the temple endowment ceremony Given the sacredness of the temple ceremonies we ask our members and friends not to engage in speculation or public discussions about these changes we invite Church members to continue to look forward to the day when they may return and fully participate in sacred temple work prayerfully and gratefully.” Since May, Church leaders have been rolling out “a carefully coordinated, cautious, and phased reopening of temples.” This began on May 11 with the performance of living husband-and-wife sealing ordinances in select temples for previously endowed members The Church’s phased reopening of temples includes four phases as outlined in a First Presidency letter released on May 7 Today’s announcement means 12 temples will move from Phase 1 to Phase 2 — which includes individuals receiving living child-to-parent sealings and own-endowment ordinances The ordinances will be performed Monday through Saturday by appointment for those in the temple district The Church will have a very limited number of patrons and staff in the temple at any given time Temple workers in the following temples will begin performing all living ordinances on Monday Three additional temples were added today to the list of operating temples currently in Phase 1 with workers performing living sealings only for previously endowed members: Including the 12 temples in Phase 2 and 113 temples in Phase 1 125 of the Church’s 168 temples worldwide will be open or scheduled to be open for limited operations as of July 27 As changing restrictions and local conditions allow the Church’s Temple Department will authorize additional temple opportunities including the participation in proxy ordinances The Church’s phased reopening of temples includes: “We ask for your continued faith and prayers that this pandemic and its lingering effects may pass. We look forward to the day that we can resume full operation of our temples, congregations, and missionary service,” wrote the First Presidency in the May 7 statement he left behind a legacy of healing and a gift that’s changing the way children in pain are treated Danny Protas rated the pain seven out of 10 Back spasms were preventing the 13-year-old from playing hockey and football Stefan Friedrichsdorf entered his room at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota and breezed past the medical chart to open the blinds Friedrichsdorf skipped the usual formalities and started doing pushups against Danny’s bed He talked loud and fast about how he hadn’t done pushups in a while and asked: If he did 100 right off the bat “What do you like to do when you’re in pain You need to use the thing that’s hurting in the first place Sunlight bounced off Danny’s braces as he cracked a half-smile Friedrichsdorf pulled various non-medical tricks out of his pockets Danny popped balloon animals with an iPhone app He discovered that blowing bubbles is as much fun at 13 as it was at 3 And then Friedrichsdorf transported Danny to a place with no noise no pain—his favorite place: lakeside in Canada The teen came out of hypnosis visibly more relaxed Friedrichsdorf asked him again to rate the pain The only thing that could have made this visit more transformative would have been a change of scenery Some place away from the buzz of fluorescent lights and the institutional beds overwhelming small rooms Friedrichsdorf and his team will move into a new clinic up on the fifth floor of the Minneapolis hospital that will seem worlds away The new space will have lights that intensify and fade in harmony with the sun Images of green birch leaves will stretch across the ceiling It will feel more like an Aveda spa than a sterile hospital The space will be better suited to Friedrichsdorf’s forward-thinking approach to care for his patients often with no conclusive medical diagnosis And it will be a game changer not only for Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota but also for the field of pediatric pain care has been slow to integrate traditional and holistic treatments The advance is made possible by a man whose entire career was marked by breaking down barriers in the name of well-being: Horst Rechelbacher The founder of Aveda lost his battle with pancreatic cancer in February at the age of 72 he tried any number of integrative therapies: aromatherapy “I believe some of these therapies extended his life,” says his widow A lifelong entrepreneur and environmentalist whose passions included organic farming and plant-based medicine Rechelbacher spoke to students at the Aveda Institute just weeks before his death but his message was as inspirational as ever Stordalen recalls him telling the beauty school students: “Do your own thing Make your own rules.” This from the man who sold his Aveda company for $300 million and was in the process of building another beauty brand But he had begun his career as one of them “He was a hairdresser first,” Stordalen says Rechelbacher worked right up until the end at Intelligent Nutrients creating certified organic beauty products and experimenting with the anti-aging properties of plant stem cells Rechelbacher also had time to consider his legacy beyond the beauty business “He lived for two and a half years with his prognosis,” Stordalen says “That gives you a lot of time to think about the ways you want to move forward It’s one of the things cancer affords you.” Rechelbacher heard Friedrichsdorf speak about his approach to pain treatment—incorporating massage and relaxation techniques along with medication Friedrichsdorf is medical director of the department of Pain Medicine Palliative Care and Integrative Medicine at Children’s His department at Children’s frequently hosts heads of other pediatric pain programs Rechelbacher was impressed and the two struck up a friendship The doctor invited Rechelbacher to tour the 8-year-old clinic They traded notes on meditation and aromatherapy (kids hate lavender They swapped barbs about their neighboring homelands: Austria for Rechelbacher And Rechelbacher saw first-hand that the doctor’s dated clinic space didn’t match his department’s innovative mission Stefan Friedrichsdorf witnessed a child dying in pain “This stinks,” Friedrichsdorf recalls thinking “We have to do better than that.” That’s when he decided to specialize in pediatric pain and end-of-life care the worst cases—the ones drugs and physical therapy don’t help—find their way to Friedrichsdorf’s clinic Eight million children in the United States experience debilitating pain You need a team.” They are children recovering from open heart surgery and experts in holistic therapies is one of the very few at the hospital that makes home visits as part of an ongoing treatment plan That treatment might include not only pain meds but also relaxation techniques Friedrichsdorf says nearly all of the children who follow his program are able to get back to normal life Yet pain itself is not a big focus in medical school Doctors are taught drugs to administer and therapies to prescribe but Western medicine has long boxed holistic treatment—from yoga to acupuncture—into a corner as something “alternative.” It’s also something insurance often doesn’t cover But integrative care is becoming more and more mainstream It will just be: Integrative medicine is what we do—it is medicine,” says Dr medical director of Psychiatry and Integrative Care at North Memorial Health Care Changing the environment where patients are treated is crucial to making that leap “We still have a long way to go in terms of making hospitals a calm and welcoming place,” says Dr a pediatric clinical psychologist and clinical professor of pediatrics at BC Children’s Hospital and University of British Columbia “We’re not consciously addressing the stress of children coming to hospitals for treatment That’s where Stefan’s new clinic will take a big leap forward.” The Kiran Stordalen and Horst Rechelbacher Pediatric Pain Palliative and Integrative Medicine Clinic won’t look like any hospital clinic you’ve ever seen visitors will be greeted by a large sculpture—a unique piece from Rechelbacher’s farm in Osceola a digital interactive waterfall will create sounds and patterns in response to people’s movements The lobby floors will be made from white oak that was milled in Wisconsin and finished with VOC-free wax and large-scale photographs of Minnesota landscapes will create a spa-like vibe Friedrichsdorf uses forward-thinking therapies to treat pain patients such as Danny Protas The new clinic will also be bigger— with nine treatment rooms Friedrichsdorf hopes to more than double the 1,900 annual patient visits his department currently averages (another 1,200 if you count physical therapy) and put an end to the waiting list for care Each room is designed to appeal to a different age group Friedrichsdorf is perhaps most excited about the “Snoezelen room,” which has rounded walls and offers multi-sensory experiences for children with disabilities: lights that hang low for blind children to touch and beanbag chairs that allow deaf children to feel musical vibrations Along with a $1.5 million gift to the hospital—the largest single charitable donation he and his wife made—Rechelbacher wanted the new clinic to be designed by Paul Udris of U+B Architecture & Design the Minneapolis firm that also designed the Intelligent Nutrients store at Mall of America and Rechelbacher’s 12,000-square-foot downtown Minneapolis penthouse loft U+B’s portfolio includes a wide variety of residential and institutional projects “We’re not health care specialists.” Which was precisely the point Friedrichsdorf and Stordalen on the site of the new clinic “The idea was to break the mold—satisfy all the requirements but create a healing environment,” Udris says The idea is to make it really fetching to distract people from what they’re primarily concerned with.” the project cost will total nearly $3 million which comes entirely from philanthropic donations Having Rechelbacher’s name attached to the clinic made it much easier to raise the balance “We would not be there without Horst’s initial gift and vision,” Friedrichsdorf says While the clinic does include a few Horst-style embellishments—the artwork the lighting—Udris says the fundamental structure is not that much more costly than a traditional clinic And even the staff area of the new pain clinic has been reimagined It will look more like an ad agency than a medical office “It’s all part of my evil plan,” Friedrichsdorf whispered playfully on a recent hard-hat tour with Stordalen “Every other unit in the hospital is going to want to look like us We want this to become the standard.” That’s just the sort of pioneering befitting the Rechelbacher name Shortly before losing his battle against pancreatic cancer in February Horst Rechelbacher penned a letter to the planet that is posted on the website of Intelligent Nutrients “Companies and conglomerates must tell the truth about what’s in their products—‘natural’ or not I want to tell the world: buy certified organic whenever possible Rechelbacher revolutionized the beauty industry more than 35 years ago with the introduction of Aveda’s plant-based hair products Intelligent Nutrients is the next frontier: certified organic beauty products made with sustainable ingredients and practices—hair spray safe enough to drink Soon after his cancer diagnosis more than two years ago Rechelbacher turned the company over to his wife but began preparing them to carry on without him They now share 50/50 ownership of Intelligent Nutrients and continue to operate out of the same East Hennepin Avenue building where Aveda got its start from copywriter to vice president of marketing “That doesn’t mean it’s an automatic success—the marketplace is different today Although Intelligent Nutrients products are sold at hundreds of salons and boutiques around the world including the Intelligent Nutrients flagship store at Mall of America the company is still relatively underground The question among industry watchers is whether it can continue to grow without Rechelbacher’s drive and vision “With Horst no longer here to develop formulas that is going to be the big challenge,” says Sue Remes a beauty industry consultant who worked with Rechelbacher at Aveda and remains friends with Stordalen and Thomas-Rechelbacher “My assumption is (Rechelbacher) taught them well and they worked together to develop formulas that will continue to drive the business well into the future.” who was vice president of Horst Salons before becoming owner of Juut Salonspa It’s not ahead of its time; it’s just ahead of the curve which will undoubtedly grow in demand as awareness expands.” Rechelbacher was famous for pursuing 10 ideas at once—constantly testing products in his labs at work and home Stordalen says she and Thomas-Rechelbacher are trying to narrow the focus and cut some of the more than 100 products currently offered by Intelligent Nutrients “We want to return to our roots: hair care Allison Kaplan is the former Shopping & Style editor for Mpls.St.Paul Magazine She is currently the Editor in Chief for Twin Cities Business magazine and also a contributing editor for Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Key Enterprises LLC is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for mspmag.com for people with disabilities. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone, and applying the relevant accessibility standards. PlayListenMost terminally ill children often do not receive proper pain treatmentGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories a few months before his death.Photo Courtesy of the Lovrich familyEach year more than 38,000 children in the U.S director of the Pain and Palliative Care team at Children's Hospitals and Clinics "We have data from children dying from cancer and non-malignant diseases that more than 80 percent of the children die in pain more than 60 percent die of breathlessness more than half of the children have nausea and vomiting This is something which is easy to manage," said Friedrichsdorf Friedrichsdorf is not saying that doctors are being deliberately cruel He thinks many are afraid to use powerful pain medications on children "[Of] children dying from cancer and non-malignant diseases This is something which is easy to manage." I cannot start morphine on this baby because that would be euthanasia.' And in fact we know that if we provide excellent management of pain -- for instance by giving morphine -- children actually live much longer and sometimes they don't die," Friedrichsdorf said The field of pediatric pain and palliative care is relatively new few doctors receive special training on how to treat the pain needs of a dying child Children's Hospital is hosting a free conference this week for physicians who want to learn the newest techniques in pain management for kids Doctors will also learn how to work with parents Kim and Rob Lovrich of White Bear Lake lost their son Mac seven years ago to a debilitating condition called Trisomy 13 It's a genetic disorder that can cause major defects in many organs Mac was just five days old when he was diagnosed "Because of his diagnosis -- a genetic syndrome genetic disorder -- we were never sure if he was experiencing a lot of pain or discomfort But he was experiencing one of those things pretty much constantly," Kim Lovrich said When they left Children's Hospital with Mac two months later their son's symptoms quickly got a lot worse "That was really hard as a parent to come to grips with -- my two-month-old needing a sedative I'm sorry you don't do that to two-month-olds," she said They thought it was more important to feed him as much as possible so he would be strong enough for a second heart surgery that he needed Eventually the Lovriches agreed to give Mac a sedative They feel comforted now knowing that when their son did die a few months later he wasn't suffering Today the Lovriches are vocal proponents of better pain management for children The death of their son has changed their lives and put them both on new career paths Rob Lovrich will graduate from medical school and begin a residency program in pediatrics His experience with Mac inspired him to leave his corporate job to become a children's doctor also deeply affected by her experience with Mac recently finished her master's degree in public health Her research has led her to conclude that insurers should be required to pay for more treatments that ease suffering at the end of life You can read this article in 2 minutesTrans.INFO E-commerce giant Amazon has announced it is to build 8 new logistics facilities in Germany that will spark the creation of up to 3,000 jobs Amazon says the 8 buildings are all set to be completed before this time next year Logistics centres will be located in Dummerstorf Weiterstadt and Wenden will be home to distributions centres Helmstedt Hof/Gattendorf Weiterstadt are expected to be up and running next year while the facilities located in Friedrichsdorf Neu-Ulm and Wenden should be ready by the end of 2021 The addition of the 8 new buildings is part of Amazon’s plans to expand its logistics network in Germany a move it believes is necessary in order to meet customer demand and offer a greater variety of products The new buildings will create 3,000 new jobs including vacancies in logistics and shipping Amazon states the number of its permanent employees in Germany shall surpass 28,000 across all divisions before the end of 2021 Pölös Zsófia Journalist Trans.info | 6.05.2025 Fragrance on the Fly: Why Pocket Perfumes Are Perfect for Airplane TravelSponsored Article 6.05.2025 The Meyer Quick Service Logistics GmbH & Co. KG (QSL) and Pizza Hut have agreed to continue their cooperation in managing the supply chain for the Quick Service restaurants. Suggestions & comments to info@food-service.de MENU.page-251571276{--colorD:#2d3761;--colorE:#ffffff;--colorF:#f0e7e6;--colorG:#2d3761;--colorH:#2d3761;--colorGE:#2d3761;--colorHE:#2d3761;--colorDC:#2d3761;--colorEA:#ffffff;--colorEG:#ffffff;--colorEH:#ffffff;--colorDE:#2d3761;--metaColor:#2d3761;--navColor:#2d3761}No Pain All Gain proven ways to take the stress and pain — really Between annual vaccines like flu and Covid shots and the many childhood vaccinations and boosters that accompany our kids’ well visits parents spend a fair amount of time convincing their kids to get shots we understand that a few seconds of squeamishness is a small price to pay for the life-saving protection that these vaccines confer can’t quite grasp that trade-off so getting a shot can be pure anxiety there is a way to make shots not hurt a lot and the tools offered — the nurses told me — are easily available and inexpensive The consideration and humanity that the offer of a comfort menu demonstrated moved me It wasn’t 100% anxiety-free — when the needles showed up so did some apprehension — but it was tear-free Why isn’t every shot accompanied by a comfort menu Increasingly, they are, thanks to pediatricians like Dr. Stefan J. Friedrichsdorf a pediatric pain and palliative medicine specialist at UCSF’s Benioff Children’s Hospital who has been working for more than a decade to normalize the prioritization of children’s comfort in children’s hospitals because kids that have negative experiences with vaccinations in childhood grow into grown ups that are scared of shots “About one in four adults are needle-phobic That’s probably because we did something stupid like holding them down for their shots as children,” Friedrichsdorf explains teenagers and young adults who will not seek out healthcare.” In 2016, Friedrichsdorf implemented the Children’s Comfort Promise at Children’s Minnesota a system that aimed to create a new standard of care addressing what he called “common and undertreated” pain associated with needles in children’s hospitals and pediatric clinics Even if your pediatrician doesn’t yet offer a “comfort promise,” Friedrichsdorf’s pain management strategies are extremely simple evidence-based approaches to reducing or even sometimes eliminating — depending on the child — pain associated with needles are easy and affordable for parents to DIY Want pain-free (or nearly pain-free) shots for your kid “The single most important thing is to buy over-the-counter numbing cream,” Friedrichsdorf says It’s also inexpensive (under $10) and one little tube will last you for years infants under 1 year will get injections in their upper thighs and kids over 1 year will have them in their arms,” he says Use a “pea-sized” amount of cream on your child — covered with a large bandage to help it stay put — and let it sit for about 30 minutes before they get a shot “The way I sold [numbing cream for shots] to my kids was like this: ‘we are going to put on some numbing cream Most kids have told me that they haven't felt anything at all after having it I wonder what it is going to be like for you?’” that most children don’t feel anything when getting a shot if they have numbing cream beforehand he says “you can't promise it.” Especially if your child has had negative experiences in the past — perhaps they were held down for a vaccine or they're quite anxious — he says that the first time you try numbing cream And while you can’t promise zero pain — though that is likely — you can promise them that you will prioritize their comfort a pediatrician at Cooper University Health Center who has studied the Shotblocker’s efficacy Douglass-Bright always encourages families to talk openly with kids and prepare them ahead of time for getting a shot “I don't feel that this is a situation where the element of surprise works in your favor,” she says reminding families to validate fears — yes it might pinch for a moment — while also focusing on the why behind a shot If it turns out that this is a child has significant anxiety that’s really the moment when she might mention the Shotblocker to a family “It's just really a little piece of plastic with a bunch of little prongs that kind of press onto the skin It saturates and sort of ‘distracts’ all those little small caliber pain fibers that carry from the brain to the central nervous system and blocks the slower ones that carry more pain.” Douglass-Bright says that parents can have a similar effect by rubbing your child’s skin where the shot will be given very vigorously for 10 seconds while letting them know that doing so will help with pain Whether we call it a placebo effect or not I think it can definitely make a difference.” Though it is substantially more expensive than the Shotblocker, the Buzzy is a popular tool for parents with children who are particularly afraid of shots and has been shown to reduce pain associated with injections Friedrichsdorf recommends using a Shotblocker or Buzzy in addition to numbing cream for maximum efficacy The Buzzy uses both cold and vibration to take the sting out of shots and is used in some children’s hospitals and pediatric clinics it’s also a lot cuter than a Shotblocker and so might be more appealing a ‘spoonful of sugar’ can make shots less painful for babies under 12 months To help make shots less painful for babies under one year Friedrichsdorf says parents should either breastfeed or ask the pediatrician to offer them a few drops of sugar water “Sucrose under the tongue or breastfeeding releases happy hormones in their brain and any pain they may experience during the shot Age-appropriate distraction is another one of Friedrichsdorf’s trusty tools but there’s no one way to employ it during a shot or blood draw light-up toys — those are especially good for toddlers and preschoolers — or let your older child play or watch something on an electronic device ever hold down a child,” Friedrichsdorf begs “The problem is that many clinicians are still trained this way They think the best way is to hold down the child and sort of do it quickly What they fail to appreciate is that many children are already screaming in the parking garage of your doctor's office and they're flipping out the 20 minutes before and afterwards.” Instead he urges families to put these comfort strategies to good use My kid has always wanted to look at the needle as it goes in and so I asked both Douglass-Bright and Friedrichsdorf if that’s considered OK or a bad idea Both experts agreed that it’s OK to let kids take the lead here Any opportunity to let them feel like they have some say or control in the situation is a good thing down to choosing which arm or leg to have the shot in Friedrichsdorf emphasizes that it’s essential to talk through what happened and frame the experience in positive language as is offering the chance for distraction from any distress (as long as it doesn’t invalidate their fear or discomfort) But using positive language around how proud you are of them or how well it went after the fact can have lasting impacts and one sentence is all it takes to prevent getting shots from becoming a traumatizing experience “Kids remember this as much less frightening even if it didn’t go as well as you’d hope the next time they remember this as not such a big deal.” Friedrichsdorf, S., Eull, D., Postier, A., A hospital-wide initiative to eliminate or reduce needle pain in children using lean methodology. PAIN Reports, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6172821/ Douglass-Bright, A., Singh, S., Yiadom, M., Baumann, B (2009) Efficacy of ShotBlocker in reducing pediatric pain associated with intramuscular injections. American Journal of Emergency Medicine, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19497458/ Dr. Stefan J. Friedrichsdorf pediatric pain and palliative medicine specialist Dr. April M. Douglass-Bright This article was originally published on November 9