Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2025
Electrophysiological Measurement of Noxious-evoked Brain Activity in Neonates Using a Flat-tip Probe Coupled to Electroencephalography
Published on: November 29, 2017
Non-pharmacological interventions to reduce procedural needle pain in children (6-12 years): A systematic review
Assunta Guillari1, Vincenza Giordano2, Maria Catone1
1Public Health Department, Federico II University Hospital, 80131 Naples, Italy.
Insights
Non-pharmacological interventions, such as distraction techniques, can effectively manage needle-related procedural pain in children aged 6-12 years. This systematic review highlights options to improve pediatric care quality.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pain Management
- Evidence-Based Healthcare
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Needle-related procedures cause significant discomfort in children.
- Current pain management strategies often overlook non-pharmacological approaches for school-aged children.
- Existing research predominantly focuses on infant pain management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review non-pharmacological interventions for needle-related procedural pain in children aged 6-12 years.
- To identify effective pain management techniques for this specific age group.
- To address the gap in literature regarding school-aged children's procedural pain.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of English-language primary studies.
- Searches conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, and Embase databases.
- Inclusion of studies on non-pharmacological interventions for children aged 6-12 undergoing needle procedures.
Main Results:
- Distraction techniques emerged as a prominent non-pharmacological intervention.
- Examples include using cards, watching cartoons, virtual reality, and video games.
- Various non-pharmacological methods show potential for managing procedural pain.
Conclusions:
- Non-pharmacological methods, particularly distraction, offer viable options for managing children's procedural pain.
- Prioritizing procedural pain management is crucial for enhancing pediatric care quality.
- Findings support clinical practice by providing evidence-based options for pain control.
Problem:
Children of different age groups frequently undergo painful procedures involving needles, which can be a source of significant discomfort. Regrettably, this aspect of care often receives insufficient attention from healthcare professionals. The existing literature proposes several methodologies for managing procedural pain, with nonpharmacological techniques being particularly promising. These techniques should be adapted to the patient's age, but literature predominantly emphasizes their use with infants. Thus, it is necessary to evaluate their effectiveness in diverse age groups. Consequently, the purpose of this systematic review is to identify non-pharmacological interventions used to prevent needle-related procedural pain in children (age group 6-12 years).
Eligibility Criteria:
Primary studies in English language on non-pharmacological interventions in children aged 6-12 years undergoing needle-related procedures found on PubMed, CINAHL and Embase.
Sample:
A total of 18 studies were included.
Results:
The results indicate the potential application of various non-pharmacological techniques, with distraction methods standing out. These techniques include activities like utilizing cards, watching cartoons, employing virtual reality and playing video games.
Conclusions:
Children's procedural pain represents a significant challenge in treatment plans. Literature offers several approaches, including nonpharmacologic methods, to control this problem. Prioritizing procedural pain management is critical both at clinical and organizational levels to improve the quality of pediatric care.
Implications:
These findings offer different options to support clinical practice, holding the potential to enhance the quality of patient care.
