The pilot study of group robot intervention on pediatric inpatients and their caregivers, using ‘new aibo’

The study on robot-assisted therapy in a pediatric field has not been applied sufficiently in clinical settings. The purpose of this pilot study is to explore the potential therapeutic effects of a group robot intervention (GRI), using dog-like social robot (SR) ‘aibo’ in pediatric ward. GRI by aibo was conducted for those children with chronic illness (127 in total) who are hospitalized in National Centre for Child Health and Development (NCCHD), and their caregivers (116 in total), from March to April 2018. The observer made structured behavioural observation records, based on which qualitative research on the features of their words and conducts, were carried out. As a result, first, during the GRI, about 2/3 of total expression by children were positive, while about 1/4 were negative or inappropriate. On the other hand, as seen in the ‘change’ group, those children who had originally responded with negative expression eventually came to express positive expression, while getting involved in a ternary relationship or participating in a session more than once. Secondly, as for the expression from the caregivers during the GRI, active expressions such as ‘participation’ and ‘exploration’ accounted for the 2/3, while 1/3 turned out to be rather placid expressions such as ‘watch over’ or ‘encourage.’Conclusion: There has not been any precedent study on the features of words and conducts expressed by patients and their caregivers during the GRI by aibo. The outcome suggests that aibo could possibly be used as a tool for group robot-assisted therapy in the pediatric treatment setting. What is Known:• The study on robot-assisted therapy in a pediatric field has only just begun.• Though many kinds of social robot have been reportedly used so far, none has yet to be applied in clinical settings What is New:• Our study revealed the features of words and behaviour expressed by the patients and their caregivers, when dog-like social robot ‘aibo’ was used for a group robot intervention in the pediatric ward.• The outcome suggests that aibo could possibly be used as a tool for group robot-assisted therapy in the pediatric treatment setting.

Group Robot Intervention on Paediatric Inpatients and Their Caregivers, Using 'New aibo' by Sony

The study on robot-assisted therapy in a pediatric field has not been applied sufficiently in clinical settings. The purpose of this study is to explore the potential therapeutic effects of a group robot intervention (GRI), using dog-like social robot (SR) “aibo” in pediatric ward. GRI by aibo was conducted for those children with chronic illness (127 in total) who are hospitalized in National Center for Child Health and Development (NCCHD), and their caregivers (116 in total), from March to April 2018. The observer made structured behavioural observation records, based on which qualitative research on the features of their words and conducts were carried out. As a result, first, during the GRI, about 2/3 of total expression by children were positive, while about 1/4 were negative or inappropriate. On the other hand, as seen in the “change” group, those children who had originally responded with negative expression eventually came to express positive expression, while getting involved in a ternary relationship or participating in a session more than once. Secondly, as for the expression from the caregivers during the GRI, active expressions such as “participation” and “exploration” accounted for the 2/3, while 1/3 turned out to be rather placid expressions such as “watch over” or “encourage. ” Conclusion: There has not been any precedent study on the features of words and conducts expressed by patients and their caregivers during the GRI by aibo. The outcome suggests that aibo could possibly be used as a tool for group robot-assisted therapy in the pediatric treatment setting.

ATIVIDADES LÚDICAS DESENVOLVIDAS COM CRIANÇAS EM HOSPITAIS PEDIÁTRICOS

A hospitalização infantil é um processo bastante difícil para o desenvolvimento da criança, pois está relacionada a uma série de perdas e traumas. Nesse sentido, o atendimento lúdico contribui para tornar a permanência no hospital mais fácil, favorecendo o desenvolvimento da criança e, em certos casos, a própria cura. O sentimento de finitude da vida aflige a criança, a família e os que a acompanham no hospital, durante a internação. No contexto, investigaram-se as percepções de profissionais da equipe multidisciplinar de saúde em relação ao desenvolvimento de atividades lúdicas em hospitais públicos pediátricos em São Luís/MA. Assim, foi desenvolvida uma pesquisa do tipo exploratória, descritiva em dois hospitais que possuíam, em suas dependências funcionais, uma macroestrutura ao atendimento pediátrico, com todas as especialidades médicas e complementares, disponíveis para o público infantil, compondo, assim, uma equipe multidisciplinar de saúde. Os participantes foram 8 profissionais pertencentes à área da saúde, dentre esses, 2 médicos, 2 enfermeiros, 2 psicólogos e 2 terapeutas ocupacionais, sendo 6 pertencentes ao sexo feminino e 2 ao sexo masculino, possuindo em média 6 anos de experiências profissionais em hospitais pediátricos. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas. Os resultados sinalizam que as atividades lúdicas desenvolvidas com crianças são relevantes nos processos de socialização e integração da criança à realidade da internação. Os profissionais da equipe muldisciplinar de saúde, enfatizam que as atividades lúdicas desenvolvidas nos hospitais pediátricos contribuem no processo de recuperação da saúde da criança, somando no tratamento da patologia.Palavras-chave: Hospitalização pediátrica. Equipe multidisciplinar. Atividades lúdicas.LUDIC ACTIVITIES DEVELOPED WITH CHILDREN IN PEDIATRIC HOSPITALSAbstractInfant hospitalization is a difficult process for a developing child because it is related to a series of losses and trauma. In this sense, ludic treatment contributes to ease the hospital permanence, thus favoring child development and, in certain aspects, even help the cure. The sentiment of life ending afflicts the child, the family, and those that accompany it during hospitalization. In this context, the perceptions of the professionals composing the multidisciplinary health team regarding the application of ludic activities in pediatric public hospitals in São Luís/MA were investigated. Therefore, a descriptive exploratory research was carried out in two hospitals that had a pediatric treatment macrostructure within their functional dependencies with all medical and complementary specialties available for the infant public, thus comprising a multidisciplinary health team. Participants comprised 8 professionals with 2 doctors, 2 nurses, 2 psychologists, 2 occupational therapists, and 6 women and 2 men with an average of 6 years of professional experiences in pediatric hospitals. The data were collected through semistructured interviews. Results signaled that ludic activities developed with children are relevant for their socialization and integration in the hospitalization reality. The health professionals from the multidisciplinary health team emphasize that these ludic activities in pediatric hospitals contribute for the child’s health recovery, thus adding up the pathology treatment.Keywords: Pediatric hospitalization. Multidisciplinary team. Ludic activities.ACTIVIDADES LÚDICAS DESARROLADAS COM NINÕS EN HOSPITALES PEDIÁTRICOResumenLa hospitalización infantil es un proceso muy difícil para el desarrollo de un niño, en un entorno hostil e indiferente con resistencia para adaptarse a la nueva realidad. En este sentido, la atención lúdica contribuye para hacer la estadía en el hospital más sencilla, favoreciendo el desarrollo del niño y, en ciertos casos, la cura en sí. El sentimiento de finitud de la vida afecta al niño, a la familia y a quienes los acompañan en el hospital durante la internación. En este contexto, se investigaron las percepciones de los profesionales del equipo de salud multidisciplinario sobre el desarrollo de actividades recreativas en hospitales públicos pediátricos en São Luís/MA. De esta forma, se desarrolló una investigación de tipo exploratorio, descriptivo en dos hospitales que poseían, en sus dependencias funcionales, una macroestructura para la atención pediátrica, con todas las especialidades médicas y complementarias disponibles, para el público infantil, componiendo, así, un equipo multidisciplinario de profesionales de la salud. Los participantes fueron 8 profesionales pertenecientes a la área de la salud, incluso 2 médicos, 2 enfermeras, 2 psicólogos y 2 terapeutas ocupacionales, siendo 6 de ellos pertenecientes al sexo femenino y 2 al sexo masculino, poseyendo en promedio 6 años de experiencia profesional en hospitales pediátricos. Los datos fueron recogidos por medio de entrevistas semiestructuradas. Los resultados indican que las actividades lúdicas desarrolladas con niños son relevantes en los procesos de socialización e integración del niño a la realidad de la internación. Los profesionales del equipo de salud multidisciplinario enfatizan que las actividades lúdicas desarrolladas en los hospitales pediátricos contribuyen al proceso de recuperación de la salud del niño, lo que se suma al tratamiento de la patología.Palabras clave: Hospitalización pediátrica. Equipo multidisciplinario. Actividades lúdicas.

Our experience with pediatric treatment of chronic radial head dislocation

Objective Improve the effectiveness of pediatric treatment of chronic radial head dislocations (CRHD). Material and methods The review included 100 pediatric patients aged 2–18 years treated for CRHD between 2005 and 2019. Patients underwent physical examination, radiological (conventional radiography, US, MRI, MSCT) evaluation and statistical analysis was performed. Patients were divided into two groups. A major group consisted of 33 (33%) patients who were treated with new bone and plasty procedures including open reduction of the radial head (ORRH), plasty of the annular ligament with m. anconeus flap and fixation with the plaster cast; osteotomy of the proximal ulna and ulnar realignment with the Ilizarov external fixation. Outcomes were retrospectively compared with 67 (67.0 %) control patients treated with different classical techniques including ORRH, radial head fixation with wires, polyethyleneterephthalate band or the remnants of the annular ligament, with/without ulnar osteotomy. Anatomical and functional results of treatment were evaluated at a short (up to one year) and long term (over one year) after frame removal using modified Mattis-Lyuboshitz-Shwarzberg grading scale. Results Comparative analysis of outcomes of surgical management at a short- and long term in both groups showed that the percentage of good results was 1.5 times higher in the major group. A table of differentiated indications to pediatric treatment of CRHD was devised based on the findings. Conclusion Biomechanical articular parameters appear to deteriorate over time following radial head dislocation and can result in radial head deformity, malaligned and shortened ulna. Pediatric treatment is supposed to be differentiated depending on time of injury, patient's age, anatomical and radiological manifestations of the joint. Operative pediatric treatment of CRHD involving bone and plasty procedures can provide good internal fixation preventing recurrence.