Development of a Virtual Reality Tool for the Treatment of Pediatric Patients in the ICU

Area of Science:

• Pediatric critical care medicine
• Rehabilitation therapies
• Virtual reality applications

Background:

• Prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stays negatively impact patient rehabilitation.
• Pediatric patients face unique challenges in ICU recovery due to limited external stimuli.
• Delirium is a common complication in critically ill children, hindering recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a virtual reality (VR) application for treating and rehabilitating delirium in pediatric ICU patients.
• To provide a nonpharmacological therapeutic tool to address the lack of external stimuli in the PICU environment.
• To create a customizable and controllable VR experience for individualized patient therapy.

Main Methods:

• Development of a dual-application VR system: an immersive headset for patients and a web-based interface for therapists.
• Therapist-controlled customization, real-time monitoring, and adaptation of the virtual environment.
• Collaborative design and initial evaluation involving a university center and a hospital.

Main Results:

• The VR application was co-designed with clinical partners, ensuring clinical relevance.
• Initial evaluations suggest the VR tool shows promising results for pediatric ICU delirium management.
• The system allows for personalized VR therapy sessions, adapting to patient needs.

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality presents a viable nonpharmacological approach for pediatric ICU delirium.
• The developed VR application offers a novel tool for enhancing patient rehabilitation and engagement.
• Further research and evaluation are warranted to confirm the efficacy of VR in this setting.