Randomized clinical trial shows that engaging in virtual reality can significantly reduce pain and anxiety in children undergoing intravenous catheter placement.

For nearly two decades, Jeffrey I. Gold, PhD, an investigator at The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, has been investigating the use of virtual reality (VR) as a technique to help children undergoing painful medical procedures. His research shows that the technology can have powerful effects. VR works so well that Children’s Hospital Los Angeles now offers it routinely for blood draws.

«Some patients don’t even realize that their blood is being drawn,» says Dr. Gold, who is also a Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at The Keck School of Medicine of USC. «Compare that to a child who is panicking and screaming, and it’s a no-brainer. We want kids to feel safe.»

In his recent publication, Dr. Gold’s team reports the results of a study to test whether VR could prevent pain and distress for patients undergoing peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) placement. The game is simple, but requires focus and participation. Patients in one group used VR throughout the procedure, while those in another group received standard of care, which includes simple distraction techniques and the use of a numbing cream. The patients who used VR reported significantly lower levels of pain and anxiety.

«We can actually reduce pain without the use of a medication,» says Dr. Gold. «The mind is incredibly powerful at shifting focus and actually preventing pain from being registered. If we can tap into that, we can make the experience much better for our kids.»

But the story is bigger than that.

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Materials provided by Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.