In clinic, distraction does not have to be elaborate. A picture on the wall. A character. A birthday scene. A question about school. A sticker. (Or a silly face)
off duty, still practicing the silly face
In our exam room we have a poster of Anpanman, a famous Japanese children's superhero.
The useful distraction is often the one that helps the child enter a conversation. If a child is crying but still sometimes peeking out at you, that curiosity can become a bridge.
"What do you see there?"
"Who do you think is having a birthday?"
Once the child answers, the room mood changes. The medical task is still there. But now there is also a relationship, even if it is just a tiny one.
In pediatric medicine, tiny relationships can do a lot of work.
Educational writing, not a substitute for medical advice.