The Impact of Positioning on Fear During Immunizations: Supine Versus Sitting Up

This study explored the impact of a child's position on the level of fear and perception of pain during an immunization injection. One hundred seven children, ages 4–6, participated in a random-assignment, two-group design study to evaluate the effect of positioning on fear and perceived pain. Group 1 was placed in the supine position and Group 2 in the sitting position prior to immunizations. The results substantiated the belief that children are significantly less fearful about receiving an injection when they are sitting up as compared to when they are lying down. There was no difference in perception of pain.