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Computer Tablet Distraction in Children Receiving an Injection

Sherwood Burns-Nader1, Stephanie Atencio2, Magdalena Chavez2

  • 1Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA sburns@ches.ua.edu.

Pain Medicine (Malden, Mass.)
|July 29, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Computer tablets did not reduce pain or distress in children during injections. This study found that tablet distraction actually increased pain and negative emotions in pediatric patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric medicine
  • Pain management
  • Child psychology

Background:

  • Distraction techniques are commonly used to manage procedural pain and distress in children.
  • Computer tablets offer a novel approach to distraction during medical interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of computer tablet distraction in minimizing pain and distress during pediatric injections.
  • To assess the impact of tablet use on children's self-reported and observed pain and emotional responses.

Main Methods:

  • An experimental design was employed with 41 children (ages 4-11) randomly assigned to either tablet distraction or a control group during an injection.
  • Pain and distress were measured using behavioral observation scales and self-report after the injection.
  • Emotional responses were assessed via behavioral observation.

Main Results:

  • Children using tablet distraction exhibited significantly higher levels of observed pain and negative emotions compared to the control group.
  • Both self-reported and observed pain were significantly higher in the tablet distraction group.
  • Females reported and displayed significantly more pain and negative emotions than males.

Conclusions:

  • Computer tablet distraction was ineffective in reducing pain and distress in children during injections.
  • The findings suggest that tablet use may exacerbate pain and distress in this pediatric population.
  • Further research is needed to understand the complex interplay between digital distractions, pain perception, and emotional regulation in children.
Abstract

Keywords:
ChildrenDistractionDistressInjectionPain

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