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Effectiveness of Watching Cartoons in Reducing Pain in Children Receiving Vaccine Injection: A Randomized Controlled
Fei Li1, Ting-Ting Yu2, Cheng-Min Wang1
1Department of Nursing, Prevention and Health Care, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, School of Nursing, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
Insights
Watching cartoons significantly reduces pain in children during vaccinations. This simple method improves the vaccination experience by lowering pain scores, making the process less distressing for young children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Pain Management
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Vaccination is crucial for preventing infectious diseases.
- Pain associated with childhood vaccination is often underestimated.
- Effective strategies are needed to mitigate vaccination-induced pain in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of watching cartoons in reducing pain during childhood vaccinations.
- To assess the impact of cartoon viewing on children's pain perception during vaccine administration.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 72 children aged 1-6 years.
- Participants were assigned to a cartoon group (watching preferred cartoons) or a control group (screen on, no cartoon).
- Pain intensity was objectively measured using the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability (FLACC) scale.
Main Results:
- The cartoon group showed significantly lower FLACC pain scores compared to the control group (2.40 vs 7.10, p < 0.001).
- A substantial reduction in pain intensity was observed in children who watched cartoons during vaccination.
- The 95% confidence interval for the difference in FLACC scores was 3.66-5.73.
Conclusions:
- Watching cartoons is a simple and effective intervention to alleviate pain during childhood vaccinations.
- Cartoon viewing can significantly improve the overall vaccination experience for children.
- This method offers a non-pharmacological approach to manage procedural pain in pediatric populations.
Background:
Vaccination is a highly effective method for preventing a variety of infectious diseases; however, the pain associated with vaccination in children is often overlooked. This study primarily aims to explore whether watching cartoons can reduce the pain experienced by children during vaccine injection.
Methods:
In this randomized controlled trial, 72 children aged 1 to 6 years were recruited with parental consent. Participants were randomly assigned to either the cartoon group or the control group. The cartoon group watched a preferred cartoon video on a tablet for 10 min before and during the vaccination procedure. In contrast, the control group had a tablet screen on without cartoon for the same duration. The vaccination process was video-recorded for objective analysis. The primary outcome, pain intensity, was measured using the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability (FLACC) scale, which evaluates children's pain based on observable behaviors.
Results:
Children in the cartoon group exhibited significantly lower FLACC scores compared to the control group. The mean FLACC score for the cartoon group was 2.40 ± 2.05, compared to 7.10 ± 2.35 for the control group, with a highly significant difference (p < 0.001; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.66-5.73).
Conclusion:
This study demonstrated that watching a preferred cartoon video can significantly alleviate pain during the vaccination process, thereby reducing discomfort in young children. This finding suggests that watching cartoons is a simple, effective method to mitigate vaccination-related pain and improve the overall vaccination experience for children.
Trial Registration:
Registration number: ChiCTR2400088897.
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