Developing a computer game to prepare children for surgery

Computer games are a major part of the culture of children and teenagers in many developed countries. Research shows that children of the computer age prefer computer-assisted learning to any other teaching strategy. Health care workers traditionally have used dolls, games, drawings, creative arts, and even videotapes to prepare children for surgery. No studies have been conducted in Israel on using computers to help ailing children in general or to help children preparing for surgery in particular. This article discusses the potential for using computers to educate patients based on a review of the literature and interviews with children and describes the process of computer game development.