Fear and anxiety among the children can contribute to low cooperation during medical procedures, thus interrupting the delivery of quality care. The use of distraction techniques can help the children deal with traumatic events and boost trust and confidence in the healthcare providers. Since children are likely to demonstrate high levels of anxiety during medical procedures or hospitalization, it is essential to incorporate effective destruction techniques that will ensure that their experience in the healthcare setting is less daunting. This study aims to determine the efficacy of distraction techniques in lowering pain among children during medical procedures. The children in the intervention arm reported low levels of distress compared to those in the control group. Distraction techniques are effective in lowering pain, fear, and anxiety in children during medical procedures.

Introduction

Healthcare settings can influence fear and anxiety among children, which can be attributed to previous experiences of pain. Fear and anxiety among the children can contribute to low cooperation during medical procedures, thus interrupting the delivery of quality care (Hanevold, 2019). The use of distraction techniques can help the children deal with traumatic events and boost trust and confidence in the healthcare providers. Since children are likely to demonstrate high levels of anxiety attributed to pain during medical procedures or hospitalization, it is essential to incorporate effective destruction techniques that will ensure that their experience in the healthcare setting is less daunting. The use of the distraction technique has been associated with reduced levels of pain during injection procedures, thus ensuring better cooperation and positive patient outcomes (Xiang et al., 2021). However, limited research has been directed toward determining the efficacy of various distraction techniques in pain management among children undergoing medical procedures. Henceforth, this study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of distraction techniques in promoting lower pain among children during medical procedures compared to standard care. A randomized controlled trial was used to assess the efficacy of distraction techniques in lowering pain among children during venipuncture procedures.

PICOT Question: In children under 12 years of age undergoing medical procedures (P), how do distraction techniques (I) compared to standard care (C) affect pain scores (O) within 60 minutes of the procedure (T)?

Multiple distraction techniques have been identified in eliminating fear triggers that result in stress and anxiety among children during medical procedures. Moore et al. (2020) proposed the use of parental distraction during medical procedures, such as injections, to lower pain, which can exacerbate fear. Parents are the primary caregivers of the children; thus, they understand their needs. Additionally, parents have a strong relationship with their children, which impacts trust and confidence (Moore et al., 2020). Thus, they can act as essential guides in facilitating distraction. Parents can also be involved in other distraction procedures such as play and music, where they can sing along and calm the child. Longobardi et al. (2019) propose the use of soap bubbles in facilitating pain, anxiety, and fear management among children. Play activities help the children express their emotions and connect to their surroundings. Thus, soap bubbles can be an exciting activity for the child, distracting them from their current fear and thus promoting better cooperation. Nejla et al. (2019) also propose another form of playing activity involving distraction cards to lower this problem and facilitate better outcomes.

Gaurav et al. (2022) proposed using audio and audio-visual distraction techniques to manage pain during injection. This concept was supported by Alkahtani et al. (2020), and Kabarndi et al. (2020), who believed music could be an effective distraction and pain management approach in children. Visual distractions like video games and kaleidoscopes can also be effective in lowering pain and anxiety among pediatric patients. According to Prescot (2021), virtual reality, which includes audio and video distractions, can be placed close to the child’s eyes, thus ensuring that they can have visual and sensory input, thus lowering the pain outcomes. Gold et al. () support these concepts by indicating that virtual reality procedures effectively lower pain during medical procedures like injection, burns wound care and blood sample collection. Atak & Özyazıcıoğlu (2021) proposed the use of audio distractions in lowering the patient pain, while Godino-lane et al. supported the use of play activities as a distraction technique.

Method

 The search method

A comprehensive