conference day 2 - friday sept 11, 2026
07:30 - 09:00
Breakfast sessions on Sedation Drugs
09:00 - 09:35 Keynote lecture 4 Mats Eriksson
'Procedural comfort in neonates, with a focus on non-pharmacological and family integrated approaches' Newborn infants are subjected to many painful and stressful interventions, which may lead to short- and long-term consequences. There is evidence for many non-pharmacological ways to prevent and alleviate this pain and stress, including parent-led pain management. This lecture will demonstrate how to best comfort babies during painful and stressful events.
09:35 - 10:10 Keynote lecture 5 Stefan Friedrichsdorf
The Comfort Promise: Avoid Pain and Anxiety from Needle Procedures - from dream to practice
The “Comfort Promise” has now been implemented in children’s hospitals across 25 countries, demonstrating that up to 80% of children can report being “pain free” during needle procedures, including IV cannulation, when a standardized bundle of five evidence-based modalities is used. This session will review these core modalities—such as topical anesthesia and comfort positioning—that should be offered to every child, every time, everywhere. The second half of the lecture will address common myths, barriers, and institutional obstacles encountered by clinical staff and hospital leadership, followed by practical strategies that have enabled successful, sustainable implementation worldwide.
10:10 - 11:00
Coffee break + transfer time
11:00 - 12:30
Break out sessions
1. Special Populations
1C. The special procedural comfort needs of ‘Special needs children’
1D. Guiding children with severe psycho-trauma through medical procedures
2. Play, Suggestion & Learning
2C. Virtual and augmented reality for procedural comfort
2D. Ready for procedural comfort care: PROSA training and education
3. Common Procedures
3C. Delivering Procedural Comfort Across Paediatric Specialties: Shared Challenges, Universal Solutions (ENT, Optometry and Paediatric Dentistry)
3D. Managing pain- and stressful procedures in the Emergency Department
4. Family Integrated Procedural Care
4C. Listening with Eyes and Ears to see a child: Supporting meaningful procedural choices and positive experiences
4D. Developmental alignment in pediayric care: communication and play in clinical practice
Sedation Symposium C - Beyond the Algorithm: Complexity, Diversity, and the Power of the Parent Voice
12:30 - 14:00
Lunch
14:00 - 15:30
Break out sessions
1. Special Populations
1D. Guiding children with severe psycho-trauma through medical procedures
1C. The special procedural comfort needs of ‘Special needs children’
2. Play, Suggestion & Learning
2D. Ready for procedural comfort care: PROSA training and education
2C. Virtual and augmented reality for procedural comfort
3. Common Procedures
3D. Managing pain- and stressful procedures in the Emergency Department
3C. Delivering Procedural Comfort Across Paediatric Specialties: Shared Challenges, Universal Solutions (ENT, Optometry and Paediatric Dentistry)
4. Family Integrated Procedural Care
4D. Developmental alignment in pediayric care: communication and play in clinical practice
4C. Listening with Eyes and Ears to see a child: Supporting meaningful procedural choices and positive experiences
Sedation Symposium D - Innovations & Future Directions
15:30 - 16:00
Coffee break + transfer time
16:00 - 16:35 Keynote lecture 6 Lucy Bray
Be the Change: Children and Young People’s Take-to-Work Messages for Health Professionals
This closing session centres the voices of children and young people, sharing their wishes, reflections and messages for professionals to take back to work.
The session is grounded in the idea that meaningful change begins with every individual through their everyday interactions, relationships, and actions. Their messages will encourage courage, curiosity and compassion and the importance of sustaining learning beyond the conference itself.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Reflect on children and young people’s perspectives on child-centred practice
2. Recognise the importance of courage, curiosity, and listening in improving experiences for children and young people.
3. Consider the impact that individual actions and relationships can have in creating positive change.
16:35 - 17:00
Closure