Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 7, 2025
An Experimental Paradigm for the Prediction of Post-Operative Pain PPOP
Published on: January 27, 2010
A parent-science partnership to improve postsurgical pain management in young children: Co-development and usability
Kathryn A Birnie1,2, Cynthia Nguyen2, Tamara Do Amaral2
1Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Insights
A parent-developed mobile app, Achy Penguin, successfully improved acute pain assessment and management in young children post-surgery. Iterative testing refined the app, enhancing usability and engagement for better pediatric pain care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pain Management
- Mobile Health (mHealth) Technology
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Young children experience significant challenges with post-operative pain management, impacting their quality of life.
- Existing mobile applications for pain management often lack scientific validation and support.
- Parent-led development can bridge the gap between technology and evidence-based pediatric care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detail a successful parent-science collaboration in developing and testing the Achy Penguin mobile application.
- To evaluate and enhance the usability of the Achy Penguin app for young children experiencing acute postoperative pain.
- To integrate scientific evidence into a parent-developed tool for pediatric pain management.
Main Methods:
- Iterative usability testing over three cycles with 20 children aged 4-7 years undergoing surgery.
- Qualitative data collection through semistructured interviews with child participants.
- Content analysis of interview data to inform app refinement.
Main Results:
- App refinements, guided by child feedback and pediatric pain expertise, improved pain assessment and management features.
- Simplified language, audio-visual instructions, and enhanced interactivity increased user satisfaction and understanding.
- Usability testing led to significant improvements in app flow, functionality, and overall appeal for young users.
Conclusions:
- Collaborative partnerships involving parents, developers, and healthcare providers are crucial for addressing pediatric pain care gaps.
- The Achy Penguin app demonstrates potential for enhancing pain assessment and management in young children.
- Further research is needed to validate the app's effectiveness and explore implementation strategies in clinical settings.
Background:
Young children are at risk for poorly managed pain after surgery, with significant negative consequence to their quality of life and health outcomes. Mobile applications offer a highly accessible, engaging, and interactive medium to improve pain assessment and management; however, they generally lack scientific foundation or support.
Aims:
The aims of this study were to describe a successful parent-science partnership in the development and testing of Achy Penguin, a parent-developed iOS app to help assess and manage acute pain in young children, and to evaluate and refine the usability of Achy Penguin in young children with acute postoperative pain.
Methods:
Three cycles of iterative usability testing were conducted with 20 4- to 7-year-old children (M = 5.8 years) in hospital who had recently undergone surgery (n = 6-7 children/cycle). Semistructured qualitative interviews were analyzed using simple content analysis.
Results:
Feedback from children and further integration of evidence-based pediatric pain knowledge led to refinements in app pain assessment and management content, as well as app flow and functionality. Changes improved children's ease of use and understanding and satisfaction by simplifying language in app instructions and content, adding audio and pictorial instructions, and increasing the engagement, interactiveness, immersiveness, and general appeal of pain management strategies.
Conclusions:
This article showcases the value of collaborative partnerships between various stakeholders (parents, app developers, and researcher/health care providers) to address gaps in pediatric pain care. The Achy Penguin app shows promise for improving pain assessment and management in young children, although further evaluation of app effectiveness and implementation is warranted.
