Distraction Methods, Child
Conditions
Keywords
anxiety, child, fear, cartoon, storytelling
Brief summary
Inhalation therapy with a nebulizer is a non-invasive and easy-to-use technology. However, the use of masks and the loud, unpleasant sound of the nebulizer can cause fear and anxiety in children. For nebulizer inhalation therapy to be effective, it is important to reduce children's fear and anxiety and to increase their compliance with treatment. Simple and inexpensive distraction methods can be used to achieve this. The results show that cartoon and storytelling methods reduce fear and anxiety in children undergoing inhalation therapy with the nebulizer.
Detailed description
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of cartoons and storytelling during nebulizer inhalation treatment on procedure-related fear and anxiety in children. This randomized controlled study employed a 3-arm parallel design with 99 children aged 5-8 receiving nebulizer therapy in the pediatric emergency department. Groups 1 and 2 served as the experimental groups, while Group 3 acted as the control group, with no intervention addressing fear and anxiety. Group 1 utilized storytelling as a distraction, while Group 2 watched cartoons. Data were collected using the Descriptive Characteristics Form, the Child Follow-Up Form, the Children's Anxiety Meter-State, and the Child Fear Scale. In the study, parental presence was ensured during the procedure in all groups. For this reason, parents were informed, and their questions about inhalation treatment with nebulizers were answered before data collection to reduce parents' stress and anxiety in all groups and to prevent children from being affected by their parents' emotional situation. The parents were seated in a comfortable chair beside the children's bed. Before the inhalation treatment with a nebulizer, the procedure was explained to the child according to the child's developmental level, the fear and anxiety levels of the children were evaluated, and their cardiorespiratory rates were measured. Then, inhalation therapy with a nebulizer was started. During the procedure, children's anxiety levels, crying situations, and cardiorespiratory rates were measured. After the procedure, the nebulizer was turned off, the mask was removed, and their faces were cleaned. The children's fear and anxiety levels were evaluated for the last time, and their cardiorespiratory rates were measured. The duration of the inhalation treatment was approximately 15 minutes.
Interventions
OTHERstorytelling
to distract telling a story
OTHERcartoon
to distract watching a cartoon
Sponsors
Pamukkale University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
randomized controlled
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
5 Years to 8 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Children between 5 and 8 years old, who received inhalation therapy with a nebulizer for the first time, had no communication problems, and gave consent were included in the study.
Exclusion criteria
Children who had vision, hearing, and comprehension problems, mental and neurological diseases, life-threatening diseases, those who used any medication with sedative effects, or those who refused interventions during nebule treatment were not included in the study.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| fear level | 15-30 minute | The Child Fear Scale (CFS) was used children's fear level |
| anxiety level | 15-30 minute | To determite anxiety level of children The Children's Anxiety Meter-State (CAM-S) was used. |
| crying duration | 15-30 minute | The crying duration of the children during the procedure was measured and recorded by the researchers with a stopwatch. |
| Cardiorespiratory rates: | 15-30 minute | Children's respiration rate was measured by observation, pulse rate and SPO2 levels were measured by finger pulse oximeter. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Outcome results
None listed