Hospital visits can be stressful and anxiety-inducing for many children. To alleviate pain and anxiety, medical professionals often utilize distraction techniques and medical hypnosis. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a powerful distraction tool, effectively slowing down the response to incoming pain signals. Multiple studies have demonstrated VR’s ability to significantly reduce pain and anxiety in children undergoing medical procedures such as injections or burn treatments. Moreover, VR can alleviate preoperative anxiety in children, leading to less painful recoveries and fewer sleep disturbances.

Reference:

1. The efficacy of non-pharmacological methods of pain management in school age children receiving venepuncture in a pediatric department – Wang et al. (2012)
2. Virtual reality for pain and anxiety management in children – Arane et al. (2017)
3. Virtual Reality for Pediatric Needle Procedural Pain: Two Randomized Clinical Trials – Chan et al. (2019)
4. Hypnotherapy for children with functional abdominal pain or irritable bowel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial – Vlieger et al. (2007)
5. The effect of gamification through a virtual reality on preoperative anxiety in pediatric patients undergoing general anesthesia – Ryu et al. (2018)
6. Preoperative anxiety, postoperative pain, and behavioral recovery in young children undergoing surgery – Kain et al. (2006)