Distraction as Treatment for Pain in Children in Resource-scarce Settings

Pain alleviation in pediatric patients can be challenging for medical professionals working in resource scarce settings due to limited availability of medication, monitoring equipment, or training in this field of expertise. This poses the need for a readily available tool for pain reduction that does not rely on expensive equipment or medication and which can easily be applied in resource scarce settings around the world. With this research project we aim to assess the effectiveness of a simple, inexpensive, non-electronic distraction method: a kaleidoscope, to reduce acute pain in pediatric patients undergoing dressing changes in resource scarce environments. A randomized controlled trial will be performed at the Edendale Hospital in Pietermaritzburg KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Pediatric patients between the age of 7-12 years with partial thickness burn injuries who require dressing changes in the outpatient clinic will be randomized into two groups: one group (control) will receive standard practice of care which concerns a dressing change without any pain alleviation other than paracetamol or a non-steroidal anti inflammatory drug (NSAID), and one group (intervention) will receive distraction by use of a kaleidoscope as method for potential pain alleviation on top of standard medical care. The primary outcome will be the difference in mean change in pain score (from before to during the dressing change) between the control and distraction group. This study is expected …

This description comes directly from the study's public registry record.

Måns Muhrbeck Senior surgical consultant, MD, PhD  ·  46-703338852  ·  mans.muhrbeck@liu.se

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