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Virtual Reality as parent education tool in pre-surgical management of cleft lip and palate affected infants-A pilot
Seema Deshmukh1, Prashanth Sadashiva Murthy1, Birti Singh1
1Dept of Pediatric & Preventive Dentistry, JSS Dental College & Hospital, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysore, India.
Insights
Virtual reality (VR) significantly improved parent understanding and acceptance of pre-surgical nasoalveolar molding (PNAM) for infants with cleft lip and palate. VR education led to 100% visualization of PNAM benefits, unlike traditional methods.
Area of Science:
- Craniofacial surgery
- Pediatric healthcare
- Medical education technology
Background:
- Cleft lip and palate (CLP) affects infants globally, requiring specialized pre-surgical care.
- Nasoalveolar molding (PNAM) is a crucial pre-surgical intervention for CLP.
- Parental acceptance and understanding are vital for successful PNAM therapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of virtual reality (VR) on parental acceptance of PNAM.
- To compare VR-based education with conventional methods for CLP pre-surgical care information.
- To assess the effectiveness of innovative patient education in improving treatment adherence.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive, cross-sectional pilot study was conducted.
- Twenty parents of infants with CLP were divided into two groups.
- Group I received conventional education; Group II received VR-based educational video.
Main Results:
- While most parents knew about feeding plates, only 33% in Group I understood PNAM.
- 100% of parents in Group II (VR) visualized PNAM benefits and accepted it.
- VR significantly enhanced comprehension and acceptance of PNAM therapy.
Conclusions:
- Innovative educational tools like VR are essential for patient acceptance.
- VR is a successful modality for educating parents about PNAM for cleft-affected infants.
- Improved patient education through VR can enhance pre-surgical care outcomes.
Aim:
To assess the influence of virtual reality (VR) in parent acceptance of the pre-surgical nasoalveolar molding (PNAM) as a pre surgical care to the cleft lip and palate affected infants.
Material And Methods:
Descriptive Cross sectional pilot study design was planned to assess the pre surgical management of the cleft lip and palate. Twenty parents/caregivers of the infants were randomly divided into two groups. Twelve participants received education through conventional education module (Group I) using verbal explanation supported by the photographs. Another 12 participants received education through customized VR based educational video (Group II). After the education, the parents were provided with questionnaire to assess the acceptance of the treatment procedure. The survey response rate was represented in percentage.
Results:
The results of the study indicated that most of the parents were aware of the feeding plate or obturators as an aid in assisting feeding practices among cleft lip and palate affected infants. However, only 33% of participants in Group I were able to understand the doctor's explanation regarding the PNAM whereas 100% of participants in Group II were able to visualize the benefits of PNAM. These participants were willingly accepting PNAM as essential pre-surgical care.
Conclusion:
Innovative approaches are essential in patient education modalities as the success of any treatment outcome largely depends on the patient acceptance. Within the limits of this study, VR has been successful in the educating the parents and caregivers regarding the acceptance of PNAM therapy in cleft affected infants.
