Virtual Reality May Help Reduce Fear and Anxiety In Children Undergoing Painful Procedures: Study

Washington: A new study has shown that engaging in virtual reality can dramatically reduce pain and anxiety in children undergoing intravenous catheter placement.

The results of the study were published in the journal ‘JAMA Network Open’.

It is not a question of needle stick. Many children who walk through the doors of the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital are seen with chronic illnesses and often require frequent visits.

Painful procedures – such as taking a blood sample or inserting a catheter – can cause anxiety and fear in patients. The study showed that virtual reality can reduce pain and anxiety in children undergoing an intravenous (IV) catheter placement.

For nearly two decades, Jeffrey I. Gold, PhD, a researcher at the Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles, has studied the use of virtual reality (VR) as a technique to help children undergoing painful medical procedures.

His research has shown that technology can have powerful effects. Virtual reality works so well that the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital now offers it routinely for blood tests.

“Some patients don’t even realize their blood is being drawn,” said Dr Gold, who is also a professor of clinical anesthesiology, pediatrics, psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Keck School of Medicine. USC.

“Compare that to a child who panics and screams, and it’s a no-brainer. We want children to feel safe,” added Dr Gold.

In their recent publication, Dr. Gold’s team reports the results of a study to test whether VR can prevent pain and distress in patients undergoing peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) placement.

The game is simple but requires concentration and participation. Patients in one group used VR throughout the procedure, while those in another group received standard care, which included simple distraction techniques and the use of numbing cream.

Patients who used VR reported significantly lower levels of pain and anxiety.

“We can actually reduce pain without the use of medication,” Dr. Gold said.

“The mind is incredibly powerful in shifting attention and preventing the recording of pain. If we can harness that, we can make the experience much better for our children,” added Dr. Gold.

But the story is bigger than that.

This is one of the first studies to analyze the effects of VR not only from the perspective of the patient, but also that of the clinician and the patient’s family or caregivers.

All three groups reported a more positive experience with the use of VR. Dr. Gold calls this data triangulation – collecting information from three perspectives in order to improve the patient experience.

“We started this as a way to alleviate pain and overall distress in children. But caregivers and healthcare providers are also reporting better results. Treating the patient effectively clearly has a ripple effect,” added Dr Gold,

Consider a typical scenario in which a child has a chronic illness and must regularly receive a PIVC placement.

A patient who is anxious about her procedure may contract, making it more difficult for the clinician to find a vein and insert the catheter.

If multiple attempts are necessary, a child’s fear may increase, causing a snowball effect, which in turn can impact medical adherence and, ultimately, health outcomes. long term.

If, on the other hand, the patient plays a virtual game during the procedure, she can relax and feel less pain, thus improving the overall experience of the child, family and health care provider. .

“Stress actually causes the veins to constrict, but you don’t need to know the physiology to know that it’s better to have a relaxed child,” Dr. Gold said.

The ripple effect goes further. A child’s experience during a visit sets the tone for future visits.

If the experience is traumatic, the child and family may be less likely to stick to scheduled visits or may feel more stressed upon returning to the hospital.

“We don’t want a child’s health care experience to be another adverse childhood experience,” Gold said.

Adverse childhood experiences, also known as ECA, can lead to poor health outcomes.

“We care about the health care experience of children,” said Dr Gold.

“By reducing the fear associated with routine procedures, we prepare the child to begin treatment with a more positive attitude, which can affect their health throughout their life,” added Dr Gold.

Other authors of the publication include Michelle SooHoo, PhD, and Andrea M. Laikin, PhD; Arianna S. Lane, BA; Margaret J. Klein, MS, of the Saban Research Institute at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.