Improving Pain Management in Hospitalized Children: The Role of Distraction Techniques with Audiovisual Media

Inadequate pain management remains a common issue in hospitalized children, with significant physical and psychological implications. Infusion procedures can be particularly distressing for both children and their parents. Thus, it is crucial to employ comprehensive pain reduction strategies, encompassing both pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions. Among the nonpharmacological approaches that can be easily implemented in toddlers, the distraction technique utilizing audiovisual media has gained attention. The present study examined the impact of audiovisual distraction techniques on pain levels experienced by toddlers during infusion procedures.

Of the 36 enrolled toddlers, the study assigned 18 to the experimental group and 18 to the control group. The study assessed the Pain levels during infusion using both the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) from Wong-Baker and the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) scale. 

• The Mann-Whitney test results, with a significance level of α=0.05, revealed a significant influence of distraction techniques with audiovisual media on pain scale scores.
• The VAS scale demonstrated a P-value of 0.016, while the FLACC scale yielded a P-value of 0.029. 

These findings indicate that the implementation of distraction techniques using audiovisual media during infusion procedures significantly reduced pain levels in toddlers.

In conclusion, this study emphasizes the importance of enhancing pain management practices for hospitalized children, particularly during infusion procedures. The use of distraction techniques with audiovisual media has been shown to have a positive impact on pain reduction. Integrating these techniques into routine care can significantly enhance the overall well-being of children undergoing medical procedures. By implementing evidence-based strategies, healthcare providers can strive to minimize pain and improve the overall experience of hospitalized children.

Wesiana et al. Nonpharmacological pain management (audiovisual media) reduces pain scale in toddlers with applying infusion. AIP Conference Proceedings. 2023; 2679 (1): 020022.