Children and medical stress

“Surgery on children may cause chronic trauma” (Website, December 14) concludes with the “need for a future screening tool to identify children at high risk of developing a medical-stress syndrome.”

I think this is extremely short-sighted. Although I have no psychological training aside from what I learned in preparation for teaching, it seems far more sensible to ensure that all children receive information from the doctor or nurse about what to expect during surgery or other procedures, and why these treatments are needed.

Perhaps younger children could receive a toy stethoscope and stuffed animal “suffering” from the same condition they do so they can take care of the stuffed animal. Surely, social workers and child psychologists can provide a variety of techniques for different age groups to not only prevent stress, but also ensure a more comfortable experience for all our precious children. RIVKA ZAHAVY Jerusalem