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TV Viewing Has Analgesic Effect During Venipuncture in Children CME

News Author: Laurie Barclay, MD

CME Author: Penny Murata, MD

December 4, 2006 — Children who were distracted by television rather than by

their mothers during venipuncture reported less pain, according to the

results of a study reported in the November 28 issue of the Archives of Disease

in

Childhood.

" We know the importance of parents' collaboration in helping children to cope

with pain by just their presence and by providing distraction, " write C. V.

Bellieni, MD, of the University of Siena in Italy, and colleagues. " We are

also aware of power of television to capture children's attention. The

difference between these two approaches is that the former is active and

involves

affectivity, although fear may be transmitted to the child, whereas the latter

is passive. "

In this study, 69 children aged 7 to 12 years undergoing venipuncture were

randomized to receive no distraction procedure (controls), active distraction

by their mother, or passive distraction by a television cartoon. After

venipuncture, the mothers and children scored the intensity of pain during the

procedure.

Children's self-rated pain levels were 23.04 ± 24.57 in the control group,

17.39 ± 21.36 in the maternal distraction group, and 8.91 ± 8.65 in the

television group. The corresponding pain levels rated by the mothers were 21.30

±

19.9, 23.04 ± 18.39, and 12.17 ± 12.14, Both the mothers' and children's

rating scores suggested that procedures performed during television watching

were

perceived as being less painful than procedures performed during active or no

distraction.

" TV watching was more effective than active distraction, " the authors write.

" This was due either to the emotional participation of the mothers in the

active procedure or to the distracting power of television. "

Study limitations include lack of blinding.

" Further studies are needed to assess the effect of these distraction

techniques in association with local anaesthetic cream, whose use should be

standard practice, " the authors conclude.

The authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Arch Dis Childhood. 2006;91:1015-1017.