Robot-Based Distraction to Reduce Pain and Distress in the Pediatric Emergency Department

In the researchers' words

Intravenous (IV) insertion is one of the most common procedures for children seeking medical treatment in the Emergency Department (ED). This procedure is often painful and distressing for children and families. This can result in an uncooperative child, a need for multiple cannulation attempts, needle phobia, and dissatisfaction with care for family and healthcare workers. Non-pharmacological treatments are emerging as a newly favoured adjunct to pharmacotherapy, such as distraction therapy. Distraction therapy involves engaging children in cognitive tasks in order to divert attention from painful stimuli and reduce pain and distress. Currently, distraction therapy is not utilized as a standard of care in the ED. Given children's enthusiasm for technological devices, we propose that the use of a technologically enhanced device may be a more effective distractor and may have a greater impact on pain reduction outcomes of patient importance. The primary objective of this study is to compare the reduction of pain and distress with the use of distraction (via the MEDi robot) versus current standard care in children aged 6 to 11 years who are undergoing IV placement.