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Use of distraction with children during an acute pain experience
J A Vessey1, K L Carlson, J McGill
1University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, College of Nursing, Little Rock.
Insights
Distraction techniques, like using a kaleidoscope, significantly reduced perceived pain and behavioral distress in children during blood draws. This simple intervention offers a promising approach for managing pediatric procedural pain.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nursing
- Pain Management
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Acute pain experiences in children, such as during blood draws, can cause significant distress.
- Effective, non-pharmacological interventions are needed to manage pediatric procedural pain.
- Distraction techniques are a potential strategy for mitigating pain perception and distress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of a kaleidoscope distraction technique in reducing perceived pain in children.
- To assess the impact of this distraction technique on behavioral distress during venipuncture.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 100 children (ages 3.5-12 years) undergoing routine blood draws.
- Experimental group used a kaleidoscope during venipuncture; control group received standard care.
- Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) with age as a covariate was used for analysis.
Main Results:
- A significant difference was found between the experimental and control groups.
- Children using the kaleidoscope distraction reported lower perceived pain.
- Children in the experimental group exhibited less behavioral distress compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Kaleidoscope distraction is an effective method for reducing pain and distress in children during venipuncture.
- This non-pharmacological approach offers a practical solution for pediatric pain management.
- Further research into varied distraction methods for pediatric procedural pain is warranted.
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a distraction technique in reducing a child's perceived pain and behavioral distress during an acute pain experience. A convenience sample of 100 children, ages 3 years 6 months through 12 years 11 months, scheduled for routine blood draws, was recruited and randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. During venipuncture, the control subjects received standard preparation, which consisted of being comforted by physical touch and soft voices, while experimental subjects were encouraged to use a kaleidoscope as a distraction technique. Results of the MANCOVA, with age as a covariate, indicated a significant difference between the groups. Univariate post hoc tests confirmed that the experimental group perceived less pain and demonstrated less behavioral distress than the control group.