Effect of an Active Distraction Method for Pediatric Venipuncture Related Pain and Anxiety

Needle-associated fear and pain in children can lead to poor health consequences and lower uptake rates of medical services. Information and distraction are significant methods in reducing pain and anxiety in children. We aimed to evaluate the effects of giving information and an active distraction method for pediatric venipuncture -related pain and anxiety in 3-8 years old children. Children were randomized into three groups as the control, the informed, the informed and distracted. Fear and pain experience were found to be significantly lower in the informed and distracted group rather than the control and the informed group according to the parents/caregivers. Fear and pain experience were similarly found to be significantly lower in the informed and distracted group than the other groups according to the independent observer. Informing, preparing, coping, distracting methods should be used before, during, and after the invasive procedures to reduce children's pain and anxiety.

Can Intentional Distractions Affect Endurance Performance Positively?

Distractions are often associated with negative outcomes however, distractions can also benefit people. Using the hypothesis of internal-external distractions in the competition for cue, this study examined the effects of an active (controlled) and passive (uncontrolled) distraction on three endurance tasks. Participants (N=42), aged 20 to 23 years were assigned to three groups. Tasks and conditions were counterbalanced across groups to minimize the residual effects of fatigue, learning an intervention and other confounding variables. Performance time, heart rate, ratings of perceived exertion and perceived fatigue were measured. Results showed that active distraction significantly improved performance and lowered Rate of Perceived Exertion in one task. As expected, the active distraction group was the least accurate for estimating time spent. Passive distraction caused minimal performance change. More investigation is needed to understand why an active distraction only affected one trial. Future studies should delve into means for better understanding the hypothesis of competition for cue.

Evaluation of Reduction in Relapse and Enhancement of Patient Compliance with Hybrid Technique of Maxillary Distraction Osteogenesis: A Long-term Study

ABSTRACT Introduction and objectives Hybrid technique of maxillary distraction osteogenesis is the latest advance introduced to correct maxillary hypoplasia in cleft lip and palate patients. The objectives of this study was to clinically and cephalometrically evaluate the stability of advanced maxilla over a period of 3 years, after maxillary advancement with hybrid technique of distraction osteogenesis in cleft lip and palate patients, and to asses the patient compliance during the procedure. Materials and methods Ten cleft lip and palate patients having severe maxillary hypoplasia underwent surgical correction of maxillary hypoplasia using hybrid technique of distraction osteogenesis where the rigid external distraction device was immediately removed after the active distraction period, and the advanced maxilla was fixed with rigid internal fixation. Clinical and cephalometrical analyses of the craniofacial skeleton were done at the predistraction, after active distraction and 3 years postdistraction period. Results The results of the clinical and cephalometrical evaluation indicated that there was an effective horizontal advancement of maxilla, increase in the length of the maxilla and a positive correction of overjet all together esthetically improving the facial profile. Three years post distraction evaluation of both the hard and soft tissue profiles indicated a very minimal relapse. All the patients had greater level of compliance after the removal of rigid external distractor and fixation of the distracted maxilla. Conclusion This study concluded that hybrid technique of maxillary distraction osteogenesis in cleft lip and palate patients gave esthetically acceptable facial profile with minimal relapse after 3 years of follow-up and an increased level of patient compliance during the procedure.

Electronic Gaming as Pain Distraction

The current study investigated whether active distraction reduces participants’ experience of pain more than passive distraction during a cold pressor task. In the first experiment, 60 participants were asked to submerge their hand in cold (2°C) water for as long as they could tolerate. They did this with no distraction, and then with active (electronic gaming system) and passive (television) distraction, in randomly assigned order. Tolerance time, pain intensity ratings and task absorption ratings were measured for each condition. A second experiment attempted to control for participants’ expectations about the effects of distraction on pain. Forty participants underwent the same experimental procedure, but were given verbal suggestions about the effects of distraction by the experimenter before each distraction condition. Participants in both experiments had a significantly higher pain tolerance and reported less pain with the active distraction compared with passive or no distraction. Participants reported being more absorbed, and were significantly more willing to do the task again when they had the active distraction compared with both passive distraction and no distraction. They also had more enjoyment, less anxiety and greater reduction in pain with active distraction than with passive distraction. There was no effect of suggestion. These experiments offer further support for the use of electronic games as a method of pain control.

Blowing Away Shot Pain: A Technique for Pain Management During Immunization During Immunization

Objective. To study the effect of an active distraction technique on pain in preschool children receiving diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus immunization. Design. Randomized, unblinded controlled study. Setting. Columbus Public Health Department Immunization Clinics. Participants. One hundred forty-nine 4- to 7-year-old children. Intervention. Children were taught to blow out air repeatedly during the injection, as if they were blowing bubbles. Results. Children who were taught to blow out air during their shots had significantly fewer pain behaviors (P < .04) and demonstrated a trend toward lower subjectively reported pain (P = .06). There was no significant difference in the nurse or parent visual analog scale scores. Conclusions. A simple distraction technique can be effective in helping children cope with the pain of immunization. The use of such a technique to relieve the pain and distress associated with even a brief painful procedure should be encouraged.

Psychological Stress Reduction During Dental Procedures

Behavioral methods of patient stress reduction during amalgam restorations were evaluated. Eighty adult patients were randomly assigned to one of four groups of 20 each: a control group, a relaxation group, a perceived control group, and an active distraction group. Both relaxation and distraction were found to be effective in reducing patient discomfort.