Active and Passive Distraction in Children Undergoing Wound Dressings

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Status: Completed

Conditions: Minor Trauma

Treatments: Other: control; Behavioral: serious games; Behavioral: lollipop

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01224340

Sahlgrenska Hospital

Details and patient eligibility

About

The hypothesis was that an active distraction is more effective than a passive distraction in conjunction with procedural pain in children. The specific aim in this study was to test how an active distraction, serious gaming and a passive distraction, the use of lollipops influence pain, distress and anxiety in children during wound care.

Enrollment: 60 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 5 to 12 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Children aged five to twelve were recruited from the pediatric day care unit at the Queen Silvia Children's hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden. Included children had wounds that differed in size and location but were too extensive to be handled in a primary care setting. The wound dressing procedures were standardized and the pain experiences were expected to be similar in all included children.

Exclusion criteria

Children with longstanding wounds, care-related pressure wounds, and wounds in body areas with decreased sensitivity were excluded from this study.Children with cognitive impairments were excluded from the study, as were children or parents who did not have a good command of Swedish.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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60 participants in 3 patient groups

lollipop

Experimental group

Description:

The lollipops varied in color and each color had its own flavor. The children chose between blue, green, red, orange or yellow lollipop colors. The children started to taste the lollipops approximately three to five minutes before the wound care and continued to do so during the whole session.

Treatment:

Behavioral: lollipop

serious games

Experimental group

Description:

The serious game chosen, Tux Racer, contented a penguin that collected fishes at the same time as it did slalom in a path. The player got points for collected fishes but also credits for time of flying and speed.

Treatment:

Behavioral: serious games

control

Experimental group

Description:

The participants in the control group were offered standard care without any specific distraction techniques, except consolation by the acting staff.

Treatment:

Other: control