Preoperative Multisensory Room Use in Pediatric Patients With Autism: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dentistry
• Behavioral Psychology
• Anesthesiology

Background:

• Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience heightened preoperative anxiety and behavioral challenges during dental treatment.
• General anesthesia is frequently required for dental procedures in children with ASD, necessitating effective anxiety management strategies.
• Standard preoperative waiting environments may exacerbate anxiety in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of multisensory room (MSR) intervention in mitigating preoperative anxiety in children with ASD undergoing dental treatment under general anesthesia.
• To evaluate the impact of MSR use on postoperative outcomes, including pain, emergence delirium, and behavioral effects.
• To explore a non-pharmacologic approach for improving the perioperative experience of children with ASD.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 40 children (ages 6-17) with ASD requiring dental treatment under general anesthesia.
• Participants were assigned to either a standard waiting room (control) or a 20-minute MSR intervention prior to anesthesia induction.
• Pre- and post-intervention anxiety, heart rate, postoperative emergence delirium, pain intensity, and behavioral effects were systematically measured.

Main Results:

• The MSR group demonstrated a significant decrease in preoperative anxiety (P<0.001), while the control group showed an increase (P<0.05).
• Postoperative pain intensity was significantly lower in the MSR group at 6 and 24 hours post-surgery (P<0.05, P<0.01).
• No significant differences were observed between groups in heart rate, emergence delirium, or behavioral effects over time.

Conclusions:

• Multisensory room intervention is an effective non-pharmacologic method for reducing preoperative anxiety in children with ASD undergoing dental procedures.
• MSR use can lead to improved short-term postoperative pain management in this pediatric population.
• This strategy holds potential for application across various healthcare specialties to enhance patient outcomes.