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Virtual reality as a pediatric pain modulation technique: a case study.
Emily Steele1, Karen Grimmer, Bruce Thomas
1The Centre for Allied Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia. Emily.steele@unisa.edu.au
Summary
Virtual reality (VR) offers a promising non-pharmacologic pain relief for pediatric patients after surgery. This study found VR reduced pain by 41.2% in a teen with cerebral palsy undergoing physiotherapy.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Anesthesiology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Medical Technology
Background:
- Post-surgical pain in children presents management challenges and can negatively impact surgical outcomes.
- Traditional pharmacological pain management is not always effective or tolerated by pediatric patients.
Observation:
- A case study investigated virtual reality (VR) as a non-pharmacologic analgesic for a 16-year-old with cerebral palsy post-Single Event Multi-Level Surgery.
- The patient participated in a 6-day physiotherapy program, alternating between VR and non-VR sessions, while receiving standard pain medication.
Findings:
- Patients using VR reported 41.2% lower pain ratings compared to control sessions without VR.
- Pain was assessed using a subjective five-face pain scale.
Implications:
- This case report suggests VR may be a potent non-pharmacologic analgesic for pediatric surgical patients.
- Virtual reality analgesia could improve pain management and surgical outcomes in adolescents.