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iPads, Tablets Keep Kids Calm Before Surgery

30/08/2016

iPads, Tablets Keep Kids Calm Before SurgeryWhen it comes to lowering a child's anxiety before surgery, iPads and tablets can have as much effect as sedatives, according to preliminary research presented at the World Congress of Anaesthesiologists in Hong Kong this week.

The French team behind the research conducted a simple experiment with more than 100 children (aged 4-10) and their parents. Prior to undergoing an outpatient surgical procedure that required a general anaesthetic, half of the children were given the sedative midazolam, while the other half were allowed to play games on an iPad.

All patients and their families reported similar levels of anxiety relief ahead of the surgery. However, the parents in the iPad group said they were happier with how the anaesthesia process went. This sentiment was echoed by the nurses involved in the procedures.

"Our study showed that child and parental anxiety before anaesthesia are equally blunted by midazolam or use of the iPad," said Dr. Dominique Chassard, study author and an anaesthesiologist at the Hospices Civils de Lyon in France.

"However, the quality of induction of anaesthesia, as well as parental satisfaction, were judged better in the iPad group," he added.

The French researchers did not offer any reasons for why playing games on a tablet was so helpful, but possible reasons range from them being a simple distraction to allowing the child to have an experience that feels less medical and, therefore, less threatening.
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